59239 - Sociology of Territory

Learning outcomes

The aims of this course is showing the connections between social system and territory (natural and cultural resources, production system, communication and transport infrastructures, settlement processes). Students will be able to individuate the factors which change the equilibrium between human society, settlement forms and territorial relations. At the end of the course, students will also be able to individuate territorial problems as well as to define methodological tools and research steps to focus on them.

Course contents

In the first part of the course (30 hours), a general framework of the discipline will be given, with attention to some frequent concepts (in particular: space/place, territorialization, affordance, and ecological analysis). Some frequent and/or recent topics of this discipline will be considered as well (in particular: housing, creative city, social innovation, local elites, neighborhood studies, public space, mobility/accessibility, urban security, quality of life).

In the second part (30 hours), the aim is showing some examples of territorial studies in the national and international debate. For this reason, some Italian studies will be presented with particular attention to migrations and housing issues in the Bologna metropolitan area). Moreover, an international study will be considered (on a Puertorican neighborhood of Boston). During this part of the course, the presentations of the team works will be scheduled too (see the section "Assessment methods" for further details).

Readings/Bibliography

For the part one:

G. Nuvolati, M. D'Ovidio (a cura di), Temi e metodi per la sociologia del territorio, Utet Università, Milano, 2022.

For the part two:

A. Lomonaco, Oltre le mura. Migrazioni e disuguaglianze abitative, FrancoAngeli, Milano, 2026 (open access versions available on the FrancoAngeli webpage).

M.L. Small, Villa Victoria. Povertà e capitale sociale in un quartiere di Boston, FrancoAngeli, Milano, 2011.

NB: the third textbook can be changed with teaworks presented by groups of 4-5 students and selected by the teacher on research topics of contemporary sociology of territory.

Teaching methods

The course is based on lectures and seminars with guests. It also includes the use of Powerpoint slides as well as videos that will be discussed at class.

Assessment methods

The assessment will focus on the critical and methodological skills acquired by students and their ability to confront the texts and topics dealt with during the course.

For students attending classes, assessment will be done through two parts:

1) the written part will consist on two exams with three-four open questions (60 minutes): the first one (a midterm test) will focus on the book Temi e metodi di sociologia del territorio plus eventual material uploaded on Virtuale, the second one (at the end of the course) on the book Oltre le mura. Migrazioni e disuguaglianze abitative plus eventual material uploaded on Virtuale. Each part will receive a note from 0 to 30. Students who do not pass one or both midterms will have to repeat it/them through an oral talk in one of the ordinary exam sessions after the end of the course (by September 2027).

2) the oral part will consist on two options:

- the book Villa Victoria in one of the exams after the end of the course (by September 2026)

- the presentation at class of teamworks (4-5 students). The research topics will be decided with the teacher in the first part of the course.

In both cases, this part will receive a note from 0 to 30. The final note will be the average between this one and the notes obtained in the two midterm exams. NB: If the average note results with decimals, it is rounded upwards (Example: 27.5 becomes 28).

The written exam is based on the topics presented at class. Therefore, any aspects of the textbooks not presented at class will not be asked and, vice versa, examples or other contents presented at class but not mentioned in the textbooks may be requested. 

 

A lesson by the end of February 2027 will be focused on teamworks. The groups must be formed directly by the students and communicated to the teacher by March 15 by e-mail, together with an abstract (1.500 -2500 characters including spaces) about the topic of the presentation, the research aim, the specific link with the course contents/concepts, the eventual research tools and three bibliographical/web references. The work will be presented in one of the lessons in the second half of April 2027 (20 minutes for each group). All students in the group must be present and they are requested to make a part of the presentation. The slides used for the presentation (Powerpoint or Pdf format) will be given to the teacher who will upload them on Virtuale to make them available to all the other students. 

The use of AI for group works is permitted for the following actions: summaries, reformulations, brainstorming, linguistic clarifications, and syntactic suggestions. AI is NOT permitted to produce original analyses, interpretations, or extended sections of the work. A correct and declared use of AI, however, will be evaluated on the base of the quality of the students' personal contribution. Students must declare whether they used AI to produce their work; if yes, they are requested to specifying which tools have been used and for which tasks.

For who are not doing the midterm exams, assessment of learning will take place through an oral exam about the material mentioned in the section "Readings/Bibliography". Talks will take place during the exams after the end of the course. As regards students attending classes, however, please see the clarifications above for the topics of the talk. Since the exam is held orally, the use of AI is not permitted.

Teaching tools

Students who require specific services and adaptations to teaching activities due to a disability or specific learning disorders (SLD), must first contact the appropriate office:

https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en/for-students

Office hours

See the website of Gabriele Manella

See the website of Alice Lomonaco