OVERVIEW

The course will provide both the knowledge of the main issues and problems for the interpretation and analysis of socio - spatial dynamics both basic skills to understand the structuring of socio - spatial systems ( relationship between society and space , the latter being as a social product )

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course aims to provide the methodologies and the theoretical-conceptual apparatus necessary for a spatial interpretation of social phenomena and recent territorial dynamics, focusing on the changes exerted by social actors in the national and international framework. Particular attention is paid to the study of migration and to the phenomenon of asylum seekers and refugees.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

Specific objectives are:
-to acquire adequate knowledge and effective understanding of the tools for analysing space as a social product.
- to enable students to apply the acquired knowledge and to understand and solve problems in different application contexts related to case studies on topics such as: ongoing demographic dynamics, international and national migration, refugees, conflicts and access to resources
The learning outcomes will enable the student to develop knowledge and skills suitable for working in diverse social contexts: Specifically, the knowledge acquired will help future education service coordinators to find their way in today's complex multicultural society.

TEACHING METHODS

Lectures with slide projection and docu-film, with analysis and discussion of case studies, graphs, charts, tables, thematic maps. 

Material uploaded on AULAWEB 

OTHER INFORMATION
For students with disabilities or specific learning disabilities (DSA).

Students with disabilities or DSA are reminded that in order to request adjustments 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).

Subsequently, well in advance (at least 10 days) of the exam date, an e-mail must be sent to the teacher with whom the exam is to be taken, with a copy to both the School's Inclusion Services for students with disabilities and with DSA (laura.traverso@unige.it) and the Sector indicated above using one of the following addresses (disabili@unige.it; dsa@unige.it). The e-mail must specify:

• the name of the teaching
• the date of the call
• the student's surname, first name and roll number
• the compensatory tools and dispensatory measures deemed functional and required.
• The contact person (Prof. Laura Traverso) 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 exam in order to allow the lecturer to assess their content. In particular, if concept maps are to be used for the exam (which must be much more concise than the maps used for study), if the submission does not respect the timeframe there will not be the technical time necessary to make any changes, which may be requested by the lecturer.

For further information on requesting services and adaptations please consult the document: Guidelines for requesting services, compensatory and/or dispensatory measures and specific aids

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

In the first module, the main geo-social-economic and cultural indicators will be analysed and those related to the following topics will be explored: development and human development, well-being, poverty, perception of corruption, gender inequality, migration, education and training. Specifically, the OECD, UNDP, FAO, World Bank, Transparency International, EU, World Economic Forum indicators will be examined. In the second module, case studies will be presented on the role and use of space by male and female societies, highlighting inequalities. In particular, issues relating to the condition of women in Sub-Saharan Africa with reference to health, education, work, politics and the environment will be discussed. The main issues related to (female) migration and their implications will then be analysed. With regard to the Sub-Saharan African space, geo-socio-political aspects of the area will be presented.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Preparation: Those who have not taken the social geography exam in their Bachelor's degree should contact the teacher to agree on the supplementary material. 

For attending students:

- N. Varani, G. Mazza, Il mosaico dell’Africa Sub-sahariana. Sostenibilità e Geopolitica, di prossima pubblicazione, Carocci Editore, Roma

- N. Varani, A. Primi, La condizione della donna in Africa sub-sahariana. Riflessioni geografiche, Libreria Universitaria, Padova, 2011(excluding Chapter 6)

the text will be supplemented with data and statistics from the WeWorld Index 2021 and World Development Report 2022

-SLIDES presented in lesson

-A choice of the following items (which will be available on aulaweb):

- N. Varani, E. Bernardini, Covid-19 e la diffusione negli spazi africani. Una lettura geo-antropologica, in Documenti Geografici, 1, 2020, Università di  Roma Tor Vergata, Roma, pp. 501-514.

- N. Varani, E. Bernardini, Viaggio, geografia, Donne Wodaabe. Una riflessione geo-antropologica. In Ambiente, Società, Territorio, n. 1, 2019, pp.17-21

-N. Varani, E. Bernardini, The nightlife spaces: the case of bush bars in Abuja. In Bollettino della  Società  Geografica  Italiana,  serie 14,  2(1), 2018, pp. 197-208. 

- N. Varani, E. Bernardini, Migrants inside and outside Africa. Motivations, Paths and Routes. In Geopolitical, Social Security and Freedom Journal, Editor De Gruyter, 1, 2018, pp. 80-103.

It is also planned to read one of the following texts: 

• M. Cvajner, Sociologia delle migrazioni femminili. L'esperienza delle donne post-sovietiche., Ed. Il mulino, Bologna 2018.
• E. Gamberoni, Africa Occidentale. Ritratto di un'Africa che cambia, Patron, Bologna 2013.
• E. Ngangue, Capo di Buona Speranza. L'Africa che non ti aspetti, EMI, Bologna, 2015
• W. Maathai, La sfida per l'Africa, Nuovi Mondi, Modena, 2010

For students not attending:

Study texts: 

• N. Varani, A. Primi, Rio +20: Politiche per l'ambiente. Una lettura geografica, Libreria Universitaria, Padova, 2012 
• G. Carbone, L'Africa. Gli stati, la politica, i conflitti, Il Mulino, Bologna, nuova edizione aggiornata, 2021
• N. Varani, G. Mazza, Il mosaico dell’Africa Sub-sahariana. Sostenibilità e Geopolitica, di prossima pubblicazione, Carocci Editore, Roma

Critical reading and written report of an article of your choice :

- N. Varani, E. Bernardini, Covid-19 e la diffusione negli spazi africani. Una lettura geo-antropologica, in Documenti Geografici, 1, 2020, Università di  Roma Tor Vergata, Roma, pp. 501-514.

- N. Varani, E. Bernardini, Viaggio, geografia, Donne Wodaabe. Una riflessione geo-antropologica. In Ambiente, Società, Territorio, n. 1, 2019, pp.17-21.

-N. Varani, E. Bernardini, The nightlife spaces: the case of bush bars in Abuja. In Bollettino della  Società  Geografica  Italiana,  serie 14,  2(1), 2018, pp. 197-208. 

- N. Varani, E. Bernardini, Migrants inside and outside Africa. Motivations, Paths and Routes. In Geopolitical, Social Security and Freedom Journal, Editor De Gruyter, 1, 2018, pp. 80-103

It is also planned to study one of the following texts: 

•  G. Amoretti, N. Varani (a cura di), Viaggiare nella Terza eta, Roma Carocci, 2013
• M.M. Gonzales De Sande (a cura di.), Donne, identità e progresso nelle culture mediterranee, Aracne editrice, Roma, 2009
• F. Pollice, Popoli in fuga. Geografia delle migrazioni forzate, CUEN, Napoli, 2007

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

CARLO STIACCINI (President)

GIAMPIETRO MAZZA (President Substitute)

NICOLETTA VARANI (President Substitute)

LESSONS

LESSONS START

September 2024

• Any variations will be communicated on Aulaweb

Class schedule

APPLIED SOCIAL GEOGRAPHY

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

For attending students (70-75% of the hours attended) there will be a written test at the end of the course (specific information on this will be given at the beginning of the course)

Oral

The oral test includes discussion, also with the help of graphs, maps and tables, proposed on aulaweb or present on the texts in the program, useful for understanding the territory intended as a central node for the study of contact and interactions between different identities. 

ASSESSMENT METHODS

For attending students (70-75% of the hours attended) there will be a written test at the end of the course (specific information on this will be given at the beginning of the course)

The oral examinations are based on knowledge of the main phases of the epistemological debate, with particular reference to the problems and methods of applied social geography, also on the basis of commentary on images, graphs, tables, diagrams, thematic maps and case studies examined in class (slides) or found in the study texts indicated. 

The oral examination will be assessed on the basis of the following 

a) Knowledge of the topics dealt with in the course (65%)

b) Quality of oral exposure/ability to present arguments and critical approach to discipline (25%)

c) Mastery of specific vocabulary (10%)

Exam schedule

FURTHER INFORMATION

You are strongly advised to check the Web Site frequently in the event of an exceptional and temporary change of class schedule or the cancellation of a class for health or academic reasons.