44667 - Sociology of the Environment and the Territory

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, the students will be able to: recognize the basic elements of this subject; know the history of the sociological debate about the concept of environment; individuate and analyze the characteritics of environmental analysis; appropriately use the most important concepts of this subject.

Course contents

The object of the general part of the course is constituted by the environmental analysis, it is worth to say from that sum about cognitive elements (variables, indicators, informers) which allows to know the territory, and in particular way to gather the more and more quick changes that regard him. Recent empiric research supply with a problematic picture of environment, showing that is time to conform the tools of research to the concrete processes of a society in rapid movement. The Sociological School of Chicago shares a setting which does not consider environment as something undifferentiated, but evaluates it in its own specificity; the School expresses a clear option of qualitative techniques too, and considers participating observation as a decisive method.
Object of the second part of the course (in harmony with Chicago approach) is socio-environmental analysis of  phenomena; in particular way, periurban and sprawl will be considered by this point of view. Nowadays, these phenomena represent a  problematic (but dense of solicitations) field, in order to understand the knowledge of environment in sociology.

Readings/Bibliography

M. Castrignanò, La città degli individui: tra crisi ed evoluzione del legame sociale, Angeli, Milano, 2004.

G. Nuvolati e F. Piselli (a cura di), La città: bisogni, desideri, diritti. La città diffusa: stili di vita e popolazioni metropolitane, Angeli, Milano, 2009.

R. Ingersoll, Sprawltown: cercando la città in periferia, Meltemi, Roma, 2004.

 

Teaching methods

Lectures and seminars.

Assessment methods

Oral exam about recommended reading.

Teaching tools

Overhead projector.

Office hours

See the website of Giovanni Pieretti