OVERVIEW

The course introduces to the analysis of the territorial transformations connected to the processes of development. The course combines the analysis of the paths of success or decline or collapse of past or contemporary societies with the study of the principles underlying the dynamics of transformation of the territories and the limits posed by the environmental conditions within which the development processes are located

AIMS AND CONTENT

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The aim of the course is first of all to put the student in front of some basic questions considered in a long-term historical perspective: why are some peoples "richer" than others? Is it possible to identify some constants in the processes of affirmation or failure of human societies? And above all: is it possible to understand how the collapses of some societies of the past can offer useful lessons to contemporary society, without falling into an easy catastrophism, and how can we face the theme of development? Equipped with the hermeneutical tools developed in the first part of the course, in its second part, the question of the relationship between geography and development will be addressed, investigating the link between development, cooperation and territorial dynamics. At the end of this path the student, starting from the memorization of a series of events and principles, will be able to carry out generalizations and to use some analytical models useful for understanding the links between environmental, social and economic dynamics. Moreover, the student is supposed to know and be able to apply the principles underlying the development policies to contemporary reality.

PREREQUISITES

None

TEACHING METHODS

The lectures will be in Italian. The presentation of testimonies and interventions by experts or operators in the sector are envisaged. Some parts of the program will have a seminar form.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

The course starts with a guided a reading, in a seminar form, of the novel by Chinua Achebe: "The collapse", which narrates the parallel annihilation of the African man and of the society in which he lives under the blows of the force, not only military but also cultural, of the West. It will then be discussed the question of why peoples once rich and powerful have disappeared, perhaps in the space of a few years and why others have continued to prosper and even to affirm their power on a global scale. So some general principles on the territorial development that have been developed by the geographic sciences. They will be lowered into contemporary reality by facing the question of the spatiality of development. Closely related to it there is the relationship between development and international cooperation. This last issue will be addressed in the dual perspective of decentralized cooperation and the need to employ participatory approaches in the practice of development cooperation.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

For the preparation of the exam the students who regularly attend classes, are asked to study the material that will be loaded by the teacher on the aulaweb site of the University of Genoa (slides, texts, statistics ...) integrated with:

J. Diamond, Collasso. Come le società scelgono di morire o vivere. Einaudi, Torino, (o altra edizione).

J. Diamond, Armi acciaio e malattie. Breve storia del mondo negli ultimi tredicimila anni. Einaudi, Torino, (o altra edizione).

Chinua Achebe, Il Crollo. Jaca Book, Milano (o altra edizione)

Students who cannot regularly attend classes are advised to study the following books:

E. Bignante, E. Dansero, C. Scarpocchi, Geografia e cooperazione allo sviluppo. Temi e prospettive per un approccio territoriale. FrancoAngeli. Milano.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

MAURO SPOTORNO (President)

ALBERTO CAPACCI

GIAN MARCO UGOLINI

LESSONS

Class schedule

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND TERRITORIAL DYNAMICS

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

The exam will be oral, exclusively in Italian (also for non-Italian speaking students).

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The oral examination will be aimed at verifying: the knowledge of the topics discussed in class and shown in the texts suggested in the bibliography; the ability of the student to establish correlations between the topics studied during the course and to analyze and discuss some case studies.

The final mark will be function of: 80% of disciplinary knowledge and 20% of the argumentative capacity and fairness of the exposition.

Exam schedule