OVERVIEW

The course presents the major outlines and main themes of applied Geography as a discipline that studies the anthropic transformations of ecumene. 

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course aims to give students the main instruments of geographical science to read and interpret land, landscape and their dynamics. In order to avoid giving students an arid collection of methods of analysis and representation, these will be discussed in the context of an epistemological framework of geosemiotics and social geography. With Vallega we cannot but recall that territorial and landscape analysis must not ignore the need to put in place forms of representation of space that enable communicating meaning so that its government is responsible and sustainable. In this way, on one hand contexts and ways of using the analytical instruments proposed are defined, and on the other it will be possible to attribute “meaning” to the representation of territory and landscape that these enable building. In the context of the course on territory (exemplified by some case studies), while continuing to be conceived as an objective unitary entity, territory will no longer be solely “explained” as a set of elements and interconnected relations, that is following a Cartesian type logic. Conversely, how territory must be “understood”, capturing its non tangible aspects that constitute its mantle of symbols and values, will be shown

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

During the lessons we will pass from the introduction of some concepts such as geographical space, territory and landscape to the illustration of analytical methodologies related to the latter. The student will have to learn a series of technical notions concerning the use of the main tools of the geographic analysis: cartography, including digital and GIS, some geographic models of territorial dynamics, the technique of transect, the main models of analysis of the landscape, the main tecniques of the quality assessment of the landscape and of the impact of possible interventions on the territorial structures and at the end the main landscape indicators. At the end of the course the student will have acquired notions and analytical techniques essential for understanding the dynamics of landscapes and territorial systems.

PREREQUISITES

None

TEACHING METHODS

The course will be taught mainly through lectures but it may also be integrated by field trips

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

The definition of geographical space, territory and landscape.

The definition of landscape proposed by the European Landscape Convention.

The landscape according to the rationalist and non-rationalist perspectives.

The "transept" technique as a basic tool for landscape analysis.

The indicators of the carachteristics of thelandscape

Applications of landscape indicators.

The analysis of the values of the "historical permanence"

The main techniques of analysis and evaluation of the quality of the landscape.

The analysis of the impact on the landscape of the interventions on the spatial planning.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

During the course the teacher will provide, via aulaweb, the informations necessary for the preparation of the exam.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

MAURO SPOTORNO (President)

PIETRO PIANA

STEFANIA MANGANO (Substitute)

GIAN MARCO UGOLINI (Substitute)

LESSONS

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

The exam will be in written form and always in Italian

ASSESSMENT METHODS

Assessment is by a questionnaire of open and closed questions and a written discussion of a case-study. The final mark will assess: a) knowledge of the discipline (70%), and b) correct expression in Italian (30%) in the questionnaire’s open questions.

Exam schedule