B8090 - Critical Economic Geography (1) (LM)

Learning outcomes

The course provides the main theoretical references for the analysis of the economic processes occurring in the contemporary world, with particular reference to the geoeconomic space created by globalization. At the end of the course the student will know and be able to analyze, at different territorial management.

Course contents

The course focuses on contemporary critical economic geography, with particular reference to the economic space of globalization and the spatial division of labor. The main topics are: relational economics, production networks and value chains.

Readings/Bibliography

SESSION 1-4: INTRODUCTION

MAIN TEXTS:

Celata, F. (209) Spazi di produzione: una prospettiva relazionale, Torino: Giappichelli: capitolo 1

Conti, S. (1989) Geografia economica: teorie e logica della rappresentazione spaziale dell’economia, Torini: UTET

ADDITIONAL TEXTS

Barnes, T.J. et al. (2012) The Wiley-Blackwell Companion to Economic geography, Malden: Wiley-Blackwell: introduction

Coe, N.M. (2020) Economic Geography: a contemporary introduction, Wiley Blackwell:

Clark, G. et al. (2018) The New Oxford handbook of economic geography, Oxford, Oxford University Press: introduction

Yeung , H.W. (2005) «Rethinking relational economic geography,» Transactions of the Insititute of British Geographers, 30,/1: 37–51.

SESSION 5-6:UNEVEN DEVELOPMENT

MAIN TEXTS:

Vanolo, A. (2010) Geografia economica del sistema-mondo: Territori e reti nello scenario globale, UTET: capitolo 2, 3, 5

Corrado, A. et al. (2018) Introduzione. Per un’analisi critica delle filiere e dei sistemi agroalimentari in Italia, in: Meridiana. 93: 9-26

ADDITIONAL TEXTS

Celata, F. (209) Spazi di produzione: una prospettiva relazionale, Torino: Giappichelli: capitolo 2

Harvey, D. (2007) Breve storia del neoliberismo, Milano: Il saggiatore.

Harvey, D. (2018) Geografie del dominio: capitalismo e produzione dello spazio, Verona: Ombre Corte.

Harvey, D. (1985) The urbanization of capital, Baltimore: John Hopkins University Press.

Perrotta, D. (2016) Ghetti, broker e imperi del cibo. La filiera agro-industriale del pomodoro nel Sud Italia, Cartografie Sociali, 1/1: 261-288

Mezzadra, S. (2020) S/confinamenti globali. Spazi politici e spazi del capitale, in: Figure del potere. Saggi in onore di Carlo Galli, Bologna: il Mulino: 119 - 132

SESSION 7-8: COMMODIFICATION

MAIN TEXTS

Celata, F. (209) Spazi di produzione: una prospettiva relazionale, Torino: Giappichelli: capitolo 6

http://www.followthethings.com [http://www.followthethings.com/]

ADDITIONAL TEXTS

Appadurai, A. (2011) La vita sociale delle cose: una prospettiva culturale sulle merci di scambio, Milano: Melthemi: capitolo 1-2

Tsing, A.L. (2009) (2009) Supply Chains and the Human Condition, in: Rethinking Marxism, 21/2, pp. 148-176.

SESSION 9-10: GLOBAL PRODUCTION NETWORKS

MAIN TEXTS

Vanolo, A. (2010) Geografia economica del sistema-mondo: Territori e reti nello scenario globale, UTET: CAPITOLO 4

Celata, F. (209) Spazi di produzione: una prospettiva relazionale, Torino: Giappichelli: capitolo 2-4

ADDITIONAL TEXTS

Allen, J. (2009) Three spaces of power: territory, networks, plus a topological twist in the tale of domination and authority, Journal of Power, 2:2, 197-212

Cainelli, G. E Iacobucci, D. (2005) I gruppi d'impresa e le nuove forme organizzative del capitalismo locale italiano, L'Iindustria 2/2005, aprile-giugno: 237-256

Coe, N. And Hess, M. (2012) The Geographies of Production, in: Barnes et al., ed. The Wiley-Blackwell Companion to Economic Geography, Malden: Wily-Blackwell.

Cox, K.R (1998) Spaces of dependence, spaces of engagement and the politics of scale, or: looking for local politics, in: Political Geography, 17/1, pp. 1-23.

De Marchi, V. et al., eds. (2018) Local Clusters in Global Value Chains: Linking Actors and Territories Through Manufacturing and Innovation, London: Routledge

Gereffi, Gary, John Humphrey & Timothy Sturgeon (2005) The governance of global value chains, Review of International Political Economy, 12:1, 78-104

Swyngedouw , E. ( 1997) Neither global nor local: ‘Glocalization’ and the politics of scale . In K. Cox (ed), Spaces of Globalization: Reasserting the Power of the Local. Guilford Press , New York , pp. 137–166.

SESSION 11-12: GLOBAL VALUE CHAINS

MAIN TEXTS

Vanolo, A. (2010) Geografia economica del sistema-mondo: Territori e reti nello scenario globale, UTET: CAPITOLO 5-6

Celata, F. (209) Spazi di produzione: una prospettiva relazionale, Torino: Giappichelli: capitoli 2

ADDDITIONAL TEXTS

Bair J., Werner M, (2011) Commodity chains and the uneven geographies of global capitalism: a disarticulations perspective, in: Environment and Planning A 43: 988–997

De Marchi, V. et al., eds. (2018) Local Clusters in Global Value Chains: Linking Actors and Territories Through Manufacturing and Innovation, London: Routledge

Castells, M. (1996) The rise of the network society, Malden, M.A.: Blackwell: chapter 3.

SESSION 13-14: TOWARDS A COMPROMISE

TESTI PRINCIPALI

De Marchi, V. et al., eds. (2018) Local Clusters in Global Value Chains: Linking Actors and Territories Through Manufacturing and Innovation, London: Routledge

Jessop, Bob, Brenner, Neil, and Martin Jones. 2008. ‘Theorizing sociospatial relations’. Environment and Planning D: Society and Space 26/3: 389-401.

SESSION 15:WRITING LAB

MAIN TEXT

Bruce Berg, Qualitative research methods for the social sciences, Boston (Mass.): Pearson education, 2004: chapters 2 (pagine 24-25) e 12

Teaching methods

The course features a dynamic and reflective approach that includes joint readings, written texts, and group discussions in class.

Assessment methods

For non-attending students, the course will be assessed as follows:

Two short essays: 70%

Oral exam: 30%

Registration for the oral exam is done on AlmaEsami.

For the oral exam, all the main texts must be studied (see bibliography) plus the following monographs:

Celata, F. (2009) Spazi di produzione: una prospettive relationale, Turin: Giappichelli

Vanolo, A. (2010) Geografia economica del sistema-mondo: Territori e rete nello scenario globali, TURIN: UTET

Harvey, D. (2007) Breve storia del neoliberalismo, Milan: Il saggiatore.

Harvey, D. (2018) Geographies of domination: capitalism and the production of space, Verona: Ombre Corte.

Each essay (MIN 1000-max. 1500 words) is composed of the following parts: (1) an introduction detailing the research question and the thesis statement (hypothetical answer), (2) a body of the text in which you address the question point by point in a conceptual way (i.e. addressing the main concepts and briefly evoking one or more examples); (3) a conclusion that links the argument to the initial question; (4) a bibliography containing a minimum of 3 references to the texts used and selected from the course literature.

The word limit includes the introduction plus possible end- or footnotes but excludes the bibliography.

Guiding questions for the first essay (choose one):

1. What is the difference between geographical economics and economic geography?
2. In what ways does economic geography try to overcome the notion of the economy as an autonomous sphere governed by a logic of its own?
3. Explain through an example how the geography of the economy is the product of irregular spatial distributions

Guiding questions for the second essay (choose one, or a personal choice):

1. Why and in what way does the geographical scale influence the organization of production? Explain with the help of an example

2. Explain, with the help of one or more examples, the geographical importance of institutions and governance in the economic organization of companies

3. What could be an effective spatial strategy of degrowth? Explain with a concrete example.

ESSAYS MUST BE SENT TO THE TEACHER'S ELECTRONIC ADDRESS NO LATER THAN 5 WORKING DAYS BEFORE THE ORAL EXAM CALL IN MICROSOFT WORD OR ANOTHER WRITING PROGRAM (NOT PDF) IN THE FOLLOWING MODE: Surname_essay 1 / surname_essay 2

ESSAYS WHICH DO NOT MEET THESE CRITERIA WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED

For attending students, the course will be evaluated as follows:

two short essays: 70%

oral exam: 30%

For the oral exam, all the main texts must be studied (see bibliography) plus the following monograph: Celata, F. (2009) Spazi di produzione: una prospettive relazioni relazioni, Torino: Giappichelli

For indications regarding the essays see above

Exam sessions for all students are scheduled for the following months of the academic year:

- May

- June

- July

- November

- December

- January

Precise exam dates will be communicated on the platform of AlmaEsami.

Teaching tools

The Powerpoint presentations used during the lectures will be made available among the teaching materials but are not considered exam material.

Students with learning disorders and\or temporary or permanent disabilities: please, contact the responsible office ( https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en/for-students ) as soon as possible so that they can propose acceptable adjustments. The request for adaptation must be submitted in advance (15 days before the exam date) to the lecturer, who will assess the appropriateness of the adjustments, taking into account the teaching objectives.

Office hours

See the website of Timothy Raeymaekers