00458 - Economic Geography,,

Learning outcomes

18440 - ECONOMICS OF ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES (4 credits): in the Academic Year 2009-2010,  the teching n. 18440-Economics of Environment and Natural Resources (25 h. - 4 credits) is also one of the two Modules of the teaching n. 00458-Economic Geography (50 h. - 8 credits). For technical reasons, this web page reports the information related to both the teachings.

 

00458-ECONOMIC GEOGRAPHY (8 credits): the teaching n. 00458-Economic Geography (50 h. – 8 credits) consists of two modules:

 

- 1st Module-Geography of Sustainable Development (25 h.): lectures from 29 Sept. to 30 Oct. 2009;

- 2nd Module-Economics of Environment and Natural Resources (teaching n. 18440; 25 h. - 4 credits), lectures from 16 Nov. to 18 Dec. 2009.

 

The 2nd Module-Economics of Environment and Natural Resources (teaching n. 18440; 25 h. - 4 credits) is also a separate teaching.

 

Student may:

 

- include in their individual Study Plan the teaching n. 00458-Economic Geography (50 h. – 8 credits) to attend the lectures and sustain a final test for both the modules to achieve 8 credits.

 

- include in their individual Study Plan the teaching n. 18440-Economics of Environment and Natural Resources (25 h. - 4 credits). The lectures of this teaching correspond to the lectures of the 2nd Module of Economic Geography, and the passing of the final test provides 4 credits.

 

Student may not include both the teachings (n. 00458-Economic Geography and n.18440-Economics of Environment and Natural Resources) in their individual Study Plan.

 

 

Learning outcomes:

The teaching n. 00458-Economic Geography (50 h. – 8 credits) provides the basic tools to approach the issue of a global sustainable development, by analysing the regional unbalances, the global trade, the international division of labour, the rising of new powers in the world economy, the concept of sustainable development and its different interpretations, the assessment of environmental resources, and the problem of their depletion. In particular:

 

- the 1st Module (Geography of Sustainable Development) deals with the geographical dynamics of the world economy, the relationships between centre and periphery at the global level, the policies for a global economic integration, and the China case study;

 

- the 2nd Module, or teaching n. 18440-Economics of Environment and Natural Resources (25 h. - 4 credits) deals with the approach of economics to environmental issues, the assessment of environmental goods, the management of natural resources, and the environmental policy measures.

Course contents

Teaching n. 00458-Economic Geography (50 h. – 8 credits)

 

- 1st Module-Geography of Sustainable Development (25 h.):

1. Economic Geography and its methods (geography and economic theory; the spatial economics; the quantitative approach in geographical sciences and the economic geography);
2. Economic geography of the world-system (globalisation of the world economy; the ideologies of economic  development; representing the world system; transnational corporations and international division of labour; international investments and world trade; global networks and urbanisation; the digital divide);
3. The raising of new world economic powers: case-study China.

 

- 2nd Module or teaching n. 18440-Economics of Environment and Natural Resources (25 h. - 4 credits):

1.  Economics and environmental issues (relationships between ecosystem and economic system; ethical aspects of the environmental issues; market failures and conservation; the limits to growth; the concept of sustainable development - strong and weak approaches);
2. The assessment of environmental goods (monetary methods; non-monetary methods; environmental risk assessment);
3. Environmental policy measures (incentives; green taxes; environmental standards; the management of renewable and non renewable natural resources).

Readings/Bibliography

- 1st Module (Geography of Sustainable Development):

• Teacher's notes distributed during the classes (see the Moodle platform - link );
• Conti, S., Geografia Economica, Teorie e Metodi, UTET, Torino, 1996 (Ch.: 1.1; 1.2; 1.3; 1.4; 1.5; 1.6.2; 2.1; 2.2);
• Vanolo, A., Geografia Economia del Sistema Mondo, UTET, Torino, 2008;
• Weber, M., La Cina alla Conquista del Mondo, Newton & Compton editori, Roma, 2006.

 

IMPORTANT: the Maria Weber's book, La Cina alla Conquista del Mondo, is no longer in the publisher's catalogue. It may be bought on the web (digit the EAN code "9788854107335" on a web-search engine to verify availability in internet bookshops); it may also be ordered at Libreria Universitaria, Via Lazzaretto 51 - Forlì  (tel. +39 0543 34419) or at Botteghina del Libro, Via Giorgio Regnoli 48 - Forlì (tel. +39 0543 370227; www.labotteghinadellibro.it).

 

- 2nd Module (teaching n. 18440 Economics of Environment and Natural Resources):

• Turner, R., K., Pearce, D., W., Bateman, I., Economia Ambientale,  Il Mulino, Bologna, 2003;
• Teacher's notes distributed during the classes  (see the Moodle platform - link );.

Teaching methods

- Lectures;

- Experts' seminars

Assessment methods

Teaching n. 00458-Economic Geography (50 h. – 8 credits):

- students are evaluated by verifying their knowledge of the subjects treated in the two Modules through a written test;

- students may also choose to be evaluated through two distinct written tests: the first, regarding the contents of the 1st Module, will take place at the end of the 1st Module's lectures; the second test, regarding the contents of the 2nd Module, will take place at the end of the 2nd Module's lectures.

 

 

IMPORTANT: for further details cosult the on-line didactic materials ( link);

 

Teaching n. 18440-Economics of Environment and Natural Resources (25 h. - 4 credits):

- written test.

Teaching tools

- Slides

- Distribution of the teacher's notes and Moodle informatic platform ( link)

Links to further information

http://www.moodle.unibo.it/course/view.php?id=224

Office hours

See the website of Massimo Canali