93222 - Geographies and Environmental Politics(1) (LM)

Learning outcomes

Students will develop the ability to critique the relationship between geographical thought and the environment, with a focus on the interplay between global governance policies and multi scalar socio-environmental transformation processes in the context of the climate crisis. They will learn how to analyze power dynamics involved in territorial transformations. Critical theories and concepts from political ecology will be connected to empirical research on resource governance, the role of local communities, and environmental activism.

Course contents

The course focuses on the critical analysis of transcalar political processes and socio-environmental relations and it is divided into three parts.

• Geography and the environment: evolution of politics and socio-environmental relations over the last decades. The focus is on the critical analysis of politics and environmental governance mechanisms at the global scale with regard to Anthropocene/Capitalocene debates, the eco-climate crisis and climate change
  

• Political Ecology: The theoretical and conceptual approach of Political Ecology in the analysis of the power and socio-political dimension of environmental governance and transformations. Through diverse case-studies, this part explores socio-environmental conflicts and related movements, environmental and resources privatization processes, turistification and gentrification dynamics.

• Apply Political Ecology: the adoption of political ecology theories and methods to the following contexts: water resources and heritage-scapes in Central Asia, Urban natures in Italy and Mountain futures in the Alps

Readings/Bibliography

ATTENDING STUDENTS

• Pellizzoni L. 2023. Introduzione all'ecologia politica (Introduzione e capitolo 1 di Torre), Il Mulino.
  

• Magnani E., Zinzani A. 2022. Geografie dell’ambiente e dello sviluppo - cap. 4 - (Eds) C. Minca, Appunti di Geografia, CEDAM, 2022
  
  
• Perreault, T. et al.. 2015. The Routledge Handbook of Political Ecology. London and New York: Routledge (Introduzione)
  
  
• Preparation of a research paper (4000 words max) e oral presentation in PPT (10 minutes during the exam)
  

 

NON-ATTENDING STUDENTS

Non-attending students will come to the oral exam preparing two texts (Moore + text of their choice) plus parts of three other texts:

 

• J. W. Moore, Antropocene o capitalocene? Scenari di ecologia-mondo nella crisi planetaria, Ombre corte, 2017
  
  
• Bandiera M. Bini V. 2020. The Territories of Political Ecology: Theories, Spaces, Conflicts. Geography Notebooks 3(2). (Contributi di Bandiera e Bini, Zinzani e Torre)
  
  
• Magnani E., Zinzani A. 2022. Geografie dell’ambiente e dello sviluppo - cap. 4 - (Eds) C. Minca, Appunti di Geografia, CEDAM, 2022

• Perreault, T. et al.. 2015. The Routledge Handbook of Political Ecology. London and New York: Routledge (Introduzione)

One text from the list:

• Leonardi, E, Lavoro, Natura, Valore. Andrè Gorz tra Marxismo e Decrescita, Orthotes Editrice 2017

• Buscher B., Fletcher R. 2020. The conservation revolution - Verso

• Torre S., Contro la frammentazione, Movimenti sociali e spazio della politica, Ombre corte, Verona 2018

• Pellizzoni L. Conflitti Ambientali, il Mulino, Bologna, 2011

• Keucheyan R. La natura è un campo di battaglia - saggio di ecologia politica, Verona, Ombre Corte 2019

• Casanova L. Avere cura della montagna: L'Italia si salva dalla cima - L'ambientalismo del si e le sue proposte, Altraeconomia 2020

• Barchetta L. La rivolta del verde: natura e rovine a Torino, TERRAE, 2021

• Lowy M. Ecosocialismo, Una alternativa radicale alla catastrofe capitalista, Ombre corte 2021.

• Faggi P.P., Turco A., Conflitti Ambientali, Unicopli, Milano 2001

• Kohei S. Il Capitale nell'Antropocene, Einaudi, Torino, 2024

• Zinzani A. The Logics of Water Policies in Central Asia: the IWRM implementation in Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, LIT Verlag, Zurich, 2015.

• Chakrabarty D., La sfida del cambiamento climatico - Globalizzazione e Antropocene. Ombre Corte, 2021.

• Menga, F., Sete - crisi idrica e capitalismo. Ponte alle Grazie, 2025

Teaching methods

The course is characterized by participatory lectures with the active involvement of students. During the first lesson the lecturer provides informations about the bibliography and other teaching tools and instruments. Books and journal articles become subject for the debate in the following meetings.

The last meeting of the course is characterized by fieldwork in order to analyze socio-political and territorial processes in the urbanscape

Attending students should therefore regularly be present at the course, at least more than 80% of the lessons.

Assessment methods

ATTENDING STUDENTS

Attending students have to elaborate an original paper related to one of the topics examined during the course. Paper subject will be previously discussed with the professor. The student will receive additional indication and bibliography to develop the paper.

Final evaluation will consider paper originality, the capacity to exploit a proper vocabulary, relevant for political ecology and socio-environmental research as well as a correct written expression. Also the ability to interact in the debate during the course will be considered as part of the final grade.

NON-ATTENDING STUDENTS

For non-attending students is expected an oral exam concerning the study of bibliography. Final evaluation will consider the capacity to understand and explain theories and case studies presented in the books, as well as a correct oral expression and proper vocabulary.

FINAL GRADES

Perfect and critical interpretation of the arguments and proper vocabulary and enunciation: excellent (27≤30L)

Concise and rote learning presentation, less original: between good (24≤26) and passable ((21≤23)

Minimal exposition and poor originality: passing grade (18≤20)

Teaching tools

Lectures, PPT, maps and pictures

 

Students with learning disorders and\or temporary or permanent disabilities: please, contact the office responsible ( 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 Andrea Zinzani