The course aims to provide an overview of the fundamental notions of geography. The main spatial, landscape and environmental dynamics that characterise the contemporary world, observed from a transcale perspective, will be explored.
Aim of the course is to provide students with a broad understanding of human geography, with an emphasis on contemporary geography's various perspectives. In addition, students will learn how to read critically and how to use geographic and topographic maps. The teaching methods will be given special attention.
At the end of the course, the student will be able to:
- understand the meaning of basic geographical concepts (space, territory, landscape, environment, place); - critically analyse contemporary issues with a multiscalar approach, from the local to the global; - analysing the varied geographical narratives of territories, also with specific reference to the geo-literary approach; - interpret the socio-territorial dynamics that characterise different geographical regions; - interpret the factors that determine the impact of human activities on environment and landscape.
Not required.
The course will be organized alternating moments of frontal and participatory teaching. Frontal teaching will be aimed at the identification and understanding of basic knowledge; participatory teaching will be based on problem-based strategies aimed at stimulating the ability to analyze some problems related to spatial processes that characterize contemporaneity. The materials used in the course of the lectures will be uploaded to AulaWeb together with other materials (reports, links to databases, etc.) aimed at further exploring some specific issues.
Students with disabilities and students with DSA are reminded that in order to request adaptations for examinations they must first enter their certification on the University website at servizionline.unige.it in the "Students" section. The documentation will be checked by the University's Services for the Inclusion of Students with Disabilities and DSA Sector (https://rubrica.unige.it/strutture/struttura/100111). Afterwards, at least 10 days before the date of the exam, an e-mail must be sent to the teacher with whom you will be sitting the exam, including in copy knowledge of both the School's Referring Teacher for the inclusion of students with disabilities and with DSA (Prof. Elisabetta Colagrossi: elisabetta.colagrossi@unige.it) and the Sector indicated above. In the e-mail it is necessary to specify: the name of the teaching subject; the date of the call; the student's surname, first name and matriculation number; the compensatory and dispensatory measures considered functional; and required. The contact person will confirm to the teacher that the applicant has the right to request adaptations during the examination and that these adaptations must be agreed upon with the teacher. The lecturer will respond by stating whether the requested adaptations can be used. Requests must be sent at least 10 days before the date of the call to allow the teacher to assess their content. In particular, in the case of concept maps for the exam (which must be much more concise than the maps used for studying) if the submission does not meet the deadline, there will be no technical time to make any changes. For further information on requesting services and adaptations, please refer to the document: https://unige.it/sites/unige.it/files/2024-05/Linee%20guida%20per%20la%20richiesta%20di%20servizi%2C%20di%20strumenti%20compensativi%20e_o%20di%20misure%20dispensative%20e%20di%20ausili%20specifici%20Maggio%202024.pdf
Students who are required to achieve 6 CFUs will cover the study of the following topics:
Students who are required to achieve 9 CFUs will, in addition to the previous topics, also study the following:
Students who are required to take 12 CFU, in addition to the previous themes will also address the study of the following:
Attending students:
6 CFU program
9 CFU program
12 CFU program
NON attending students:
9 CFU program
One text to be selected from:
Ricevimento: Student reception is held, by appointment, on the Teams platform on wendsday from 2:00 to 5:00 pm.
GIACOMO ZANOLIN (President)
GIAMPIETRO MAZZA
I semester: first week of October 2025
II semester: Last week of february 2026
The timetable for this course is available here: EasyAcademy
The exam is held in oral format by means of an colloquium aimed at verifying the knowledge acquired during the lectures and through the study of the texts indicated in the bibliography.
The oral exam: - will assess the knowledge of the topics covered in class and contained in the study texts; - will test the ability to think critically about spatial, landscape and environmental processes. The evaluation will take into account: - appropriate knowledge of disciplinary vocabulary; - ability to reason critically; - ability to make connections between the different topics covered.
All students are invited to periodically consult the page of this course on the AulaWeb e-learning portal (accessible from the University web site or at: https://www.aulaweb.unige.it). All information and materials related to this teaching are published exclusively on that site.
