00455 - Geography (A-L)

Learning outcomes

The course aims to provide a solid knowledge of key-concepts, origin, development of Human Geography and of Cartography as a field of study. Students will be able to analyse social phaenomena in spatial perspective, according to the methodology of political, economic, urban geography and of cartography. Students will be able to analyse critically atlases, literary and historical sources to study territory and to achieve geographical information in the digital environment.

Course contents

The major aim of the course consists of introducing to the study of human geography as critical knowledge. In this perspective, the analysis of the history of geographical thought will not be dissociated from that of the key topics of current geographical debates, and geography will be conceived as a thought in dialogue with several disciplines, from literature to philosophy, from visual art to cultural studies.

The major issues of the course will be tackled starting from the richness of meanings which the very term ‘geography’ involves.

By geo-graphy, the -graphia of the earth, one might intend the set of signs by means of which human beings mark the earth’s surface with their presence, telling about themselves and building their identity through their relationship to the world.

By geo-graphy one may also intend the representation or description of the earth, or rather the many ways in which the earth has been described and represented. Concerning this, the course will propose an analysis of the main concepts and tools through which geography has described and/or represented the world: the globe, the map and space, the chora and landscape – each of these concepts and tools being bearer of a different logic and interpretation of the world.

In the light both of the first and of the second meaning of geography, particular attention will be paid on the interpretation of some concepts concerning human identity, both individual and collective – such as feminine-masculine (and beyond), public and private, subjectivity and the nature of image, the very concept of culture – in accordance with the way in which they have been outlined through the language inscribed on the earth or through the different perspectives on the earth of which the main geographical concepts are bearers.

The major issues and concepts will be tackled and explained starting from the interpretation of some texts taken from several languages. In particular, some matters will be tackled starting from the reading of some literary and philosophical texts – such as some passages from Plato’s Symposium and some tales of Boccaccio’s Decameron. A reinterpretation of these texts will be provided, founding it on a geographical imagination. Some other matters will be tackled starting from a geographical reinterpretation of some texts taken from other languages: visual art, movies, and advertising.

 

Thematic focus (monographic part of the course)

The course will focus especially on two issues:

1. Geography and the cultural construction of the Other (of otherness);
2. the geographical-political concepts which are at the core of today’s public debate: the state, nation, territory, migration, globalization in our times. Some of these concepts will be explained also through the reading and interpretation of some newspaper articles.
   

 

Readings/Bibliography

Attending students are required to study for the exam the contents of the lectures and four books. The four books to read are:

- the book listed in the group a)

- the two books listed in the group b)

- a book chosen among those listed in the groups c) – d) – e).

 

Non-attending students are required to study five books for the exam. The five books to read are:

- the book listed in the group a)

- the two books listed in the group b)

- two books chosen among those listed in the groups c) – d) – e), no matter if belonging to the same group or to two different groups.

 

a) As an introduction to human geography as critical knowledge:

- Farinelli F., L’invenzione della Terra, Palermo, Sellerio, 2007 or 2016.

 

b) Concerning the major topics and concepts tackled during the lectures:

- Bonfiglioli S., La geografia di Egnazio Danti. Il sapere corografico a Bologna nell’età della Controriforma, Bologna, Pàtron, 2012.

- Minca C., Bialasiewicz L., Spazio e politica. Riflessioni di geografia critica, Padova, Cedam, 2004 (only “Introduzione”, “parte I”, and “parte II”, i.e., pp. 1-134).

 

c) On the dialogue between geography, literature and aesthetics:

- Jakob M., Il paesaggio, Bologna, il Mulino, 2009.

- Moretti F., Atlante del romanzo europeo, Torino, Einaudi, 1997.

 

d) On the dialogue between geography, anthropology and cultural studies, especially as far as spatiality and the cultural construction of the Other are concerned:

- Said E.W., Orientalismo, Torino, Bollati Boringhieri, 1991.

- Vernant J.-P., La morte negli occhi. Figure dell’Altro nell’antica Grecia, Bologna, il Mulino, 1987.

- Vernant J.-P., Mito e pensiero presso i Greci, Torino, Einaudi, 1970.

 

e) On some of the key issues tackled by contemporary geography in dialogue with political theory and philosophy:

- Agamben G., Homo sacer. Il potere sovrano e la nuda vita, Torino, Einaudi, 1995.

- Schmitt C., Il nomos della terra, Milano, Adelphi, 1991.

 

Teaching methods

Traditional lectures, which will also involve:

- the reading and analysis of some literary and philosophical texts, reinterpreted in the light of a geographical imagination;

- the reading of some newspaper articles;

- the analysis of some texts taken from other languages: visual art, movies, advertising.

- several hours devoted both to discuss the topics linked to the lectures or the texts and to provide some additional explanations – whenever asked for by students during the lectures or via the online space (IOL platform: see below).

The lectures devoted to text analysis will aim at involving students in the interpretation of the texts.

Moreover, the class discussion will continue on the online space of the course (IOl platform) by means of the resources/activities made available by the teacher. On the IOL platform the teacher will upload the slides and the teaching material and, moreover, will organize some activities in order, for instance, to let the students ask for some additional explanations on the contents of the lectures and/or the texts – explanations which will be provided during the following lectures.

 

Assessment methods

The exam will be oral both for attending and non-attending students.

 

ATTENDING STUDENTS

Attending students are required to study for the exam the contents of the lectures and four books. The four books to read are:

- the book listed in the group a)

- the two books listed in the group b)

- a book chosen among those listed in the groups c) – d) – e).

On the groups and books, see above (entry “Readings/Bibliography”)

The exam will consist of answering some questions about the contents of the lectures and of the four read books. The questions will concern:

- the contents – concepts, themes, analysed texts, issues – of the lectures;

- the contents of each book: concepts, themes, topics of single chapters, the meaning of images (if present in the books);

- some topics which both the lectures and some of the read books deal with. A critical analysis of the different perspectives on these topics may be requested.

 

NON-ATTENDING STUDENTS

Non-attending students are required to study five books for the exam. The five books to read are:

- the book listed in the group a)

- the two books listed in the group b)

- two books chosen among those listed in the groups c) – d) – e), no matter if belonging to the same group or to two different groups.

On the groups and books, see above (entry “Readings/Bibliography”)

The exam will consist of answering some questions about the contents of the five read books. The questions will concern:

- the contents of each book: concepts, themes, topics of single chapters, the meaning of images (if present in the books);

- a topic which more than one of the read books deal with. A critical analysis of the different perspectives on this topic may be requested.

 

EVALUATION CRITERIA (applying to the examination of both attending and non-attending students)

The evaluation will take into consideration:

a) the level of knowledge of the contents: how well they have been deepened and critically understood;

b) how rich and correct the discursive articulation of the contents is;

c) the use of appropriate terminology.

The evaluation of each of the three criteria will contribute to determine the final grade, which will be assigned according to the following evaluation scale:

. 18-21, if the performance is, on the whole, sufficient;

. 22-24, if the performance is, on the whole, satisfactory;

. 25-27, if the performance is, on the whole, good;

. 28-30, if the performance is, on the whole, very good;

. 30 cum laude, if the performance is, on the whole, excellent.

 

Teaching tools

Slides, tales, images, videos, websites.

The online space (IOL platform) will be a very useful tool not only to upload the slides and teaching material, but also to continue class discussion via the online activities organized by the teacher, in the ways described above (entry “Teaching methods”).

 

Office hours

See the website of Stefania Bonfiglioli