Economic and Political Geography
A.Y. 2024/2025
Learning objectives
The course aims to provide students with the essential and most useful tools for navigating the profound contemporary economic and political transformations of spaces and territories. After an excursus on methodology and the foundations of the subject, the course analyzes the modern territorial state in its historical dynamics, its institutional aspects and its influences on the economic dimension. Afterwards, the course explores the evolution of the territorial state in the contemporary world, the dynamics of the welfare state, the contemporary schism between political and economic space, the evolution of borders, the development of networks and the fate of globalization. Particular attention is paid to the reappearance of barriers and the building of new walls and borders, responsible for both the paralysis of the free movement of goods, capital, people, typical of the formation of new, delimited spaces of welfare and exclusion. The main goal is to provide students with tools to understand and reason about, with knowledge and critical spirit, all changes in spatial and territorial, political and economic, national and global dimensions.
Expected learning outcomes
Ability to understand the main concepts and issues of Economic and Political Geography. At the end of the Course the student should acquire basic knowledge to understand the global economic and political dynamics that depend on geographical determinants and which in turn react on these factors, producing more or less predictable results. bility to understand, analyze and interpret, applying the theoretical tools and knowledge acquired, the most relevant phenomena readable through the lens of Economic and Political Geography, which is based on a complex multidisciplinary perspective often lacking in similar subjects.
Lesson period: First trimester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course can be attended as a single course.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
First trimester
Course syllabus
The first teaching unit, dedicated to the political dimension of geography, will explore the fundamentals of the scientific discipline, i.e. space, territoriality and its historicity, the formation, and transformation of modern territorial states, frontiers and boundaries, the location and organization of political power within them and in different forms of coexistence. Issues related to the relationship between state/territory/economy, their mutual interaction, new forms of emerging regionalism, old and new forms of nationalism, the problems related to natural resources and the resulting latent or current conflicts, and the emerging geography of networks will be also discussed in this section. Particular attention will be paid to new barriers, modern linear borders and their economic spin-offs ("neo-protectionism"), as they re-emerge globally. It will also provide a geographical-political picture of the major world regions (emerging or declining, compact or fragmented) of Western and Eastern Europe, Asia, Africa, the Americas, and the Arctic region, characterized by growing international disputes.
The second teaching unit, dedicated to the economic dimension of world geography, will deal first of all with globalization, its significance - both diachronic and synchronic - and its manifestations and consequences for the contemporary reality of the planet. It will then deal with the theme of the economic cycle and crises in their concrete origins and in economic theory, that of international trade and its implications, and finally that of economic development, productive transformations, and growth (economic growth), in spatial and geographical dimensions.
The second teaching unit, dedicated to the economic dimension of world geography, will deal first of all with globalization, its significance - both diachronic and synchronic - and its manifestations and consequences for the contemporary reality of the planet. It will then deal with the theme of the economic cycle and crises in their concrete origins and in economic theory, that of international trade and its implications, and finally that of economic development, productive transformations, and growth (economic growth), in spatial and geographical dimensions.
Prerequisites for admission
Prerequisites to attending the Course with profit are a good knowledge of world geography, modern and contemporary history, political theory and the fundamentals of economics. Suggested training:
International Relations, Political Science, Political Economy, Modern History, Economic History, History of Political Doctrines.
International Relations, Political Science, Political Economy, Modern History, Economic History, History of Political Doctrines.
Teaching methods
The Course includes in-presence didactic lectures, which are simultaneously delivered electronically, maintaining constant interaction with students.
Teaching Resources
EXAM PROGRAM FOR ATTENDING STUDENTS
The exam requires knowledge of the course notes and the texts relating to teaching units A and B, i.e.:
TEACHING UNIT A:
- M. Jones, R. Jones, M. Whitehead, M. Woods, D. Dixon, M. Hannah, Introduzione alla Geografia politica. Spazi, luoghi, politiche, Torino, UTET Università, 2021 (Capitoli 1,2,3,5,6,8,9,11).
- W. Reinhard, Storia dello stato moderno, Bologna, il Mulino, 2010.
TEACHING UNIT B
- F. Dini, P. Romei, F. Randelli, Geografia Economica. Mercati, imprese, ambiente e le sfide del mondo contemporaneo. Mondadori Università, 2020.
EXAM PROGRAM FOR NON-ATTENDING STUDENTS
For the examination, knowledge of the texts relating to teaching units A and B is required:
- M. Jones, R. Jones, M. Whitehead, M. Woods, D. Dixon, M. Hannah, Introduzione alla Geografia politica. Spazi, luoghi, politiche, Torino, UTET Università, 2021 (Capitoli 1,2,3,5,6,8,9,11).
- W. Reinhard, Storia dello stato moderno, Bologna, il Mulino, 2010.
TEACHING UNIT B
- F. Dini, P. Romei, F. Randelli, Geografia Economica. Mercati, imprese, ambiente e le sfide del mondo contemporaneo. Mondadori Università, 2020.
Furthermore, the knowledge of ONLY ONE book from those indicated below is required:
- Magnani M., Il grande scollamento. Timori e speranze dopo gli eccessi della globalizzazione, Bocconi University Press, 2024.
- Cerreti C., Marconi M., Sellari P., Spazi e Poteri. Geografia Politica, Geografia Economica, Geopolitica. Laterza 2024.
- Graziano M., Frontiere, Il Mulino 2017.
- Vitale A., Centralismo, decentramento o autogoverno. Tramedoro, Bologna 2023.
- Violante A., Vitale A., L'Europa alle frontiere dell'Unione, Milano, Unicopli, 2010.
- Pagden A., Oltre gli Stati. Poteri, popoli e ordine globale, Il Mulino 2023.
- Maier Ch. S., Dentro i confini. Einaudi 2019.
- Raffestin C., Per una geografia del potere. Unicopli, Milano 2022. (Nuova edizione a cura di dell'Agnese E.).
- Oppenheimer F., Lo Stato. Storia ed evoluzione. Edizioni Il Foglio, Piombino 2020.
- Pappalardo F., La parabola dello Stato moderno. Da un mondo "senza Stato" a uno Stato onnipotente. D'Ettoris Editori, Crotone 2022.
- Breuilly J., La formazione dello Stato nazionale tedesco, Il Mulino, 2004.
- Hansen V., La scoperta del mondo. L'anno Mille e l'inizio della globalizzazione, Mondadori 2021.
- Dodds K., Il primo libro di geopolitica. Einaudi 2023.
- Graziano M., Geopolitica. Orientarsi nel grande disordine internazionale, Il Mulino 2019.
- Lizza G., Gli orizzonti della nuova geopolitica, UTET Università, Torino 2021.
- Ivetic E., Est/Ovest, Il Mulino 2022.
- Bellezza S.A. (a cura di), Atlante geopolitico dello spazio post-sovietico, Scholé (Morcelliana), 2022, (da portare insieme a:) Bellezza S.A., Il destino dell'Ucraina, il futuro dell'Europa, Scholé (Morcelliana), 2022.
- Di Stefano C., Storia del potere in Russia, Morcelliana, 2022.
- Mian M., La guerra bianca, Neri Pozza, Vicenza 2022.
The exam requires knowledge of the course notes and the texts relating to teaching units A and B, i.e.:
TEACHING UNIT A:
- M. Jones, R. Jones, M. Whitehead, M. Woods, D. Dixon, M. Hannah, Introduzione alla Geografia politica. Spazi, luoghi, politiche, Torino, UTET Università, 2021 (Capitoli 1,2,3,5,6,8,9,11).
- W. Reinhard, Storia dello stato moderno, Bologna, il Mulino, 2010.
TEACHING UNIT B
- F. Dini, P. Romei, F. Randelli, Geografia Economica. Mercati, imprese, ambiente e le sfide del mondo contemporaneo. Mondadori Università, 2020.
EXAM PROGRAM FOR NON-ATTENDING STUDENTS
For the examination, knowledge of the texts relating to teaching units A and B is required:
- M. Jones, R. Jones, M. Whitehead, M. Woods, D. Dixon, M. Hannah, Introduzione alla Geografia politica. Spazi, luoghi, politiche, Torino, UTET Università, 2021 (Capitoli 1,2,3,5,6,8,9,11).
- W. Reinhard, Storia dello stato moderno, Bologna, il Mulino, 2010.
TEACHING UNIT B
- F. Dini, P. Romei, F. Randelli, Geografia Economica. Mercati, imprese, ambiente e le sfide del mondo contemporaneo. Mondadori Università, 2020.
Furthermore, the knowledge of ONLY ONE book from those indicated below is required:
- Magnani M., Il grande scollamento. Timori e speranze dopo gli eccessi della globalizzazione, Bocconi University Press, 2024.
- Cerreti C., Marconi M., Sellari P., Spazi e Poteri. Geografia Politica, Geografia Economica, Geopolitica. Laterza 2024.
- Graziano M., Frontiere, Il Mulino 2017.
- Vitale A., Centralismo, decentramento o autogoverno. Tramedoro, Bologna 2023.
- Violante A., Vitale A., L'Europa alle frontiere dell'Unione, Milano, Unicopli, 2010.
- Pagden A., Oltre gli Stati. Poteri, popoli e ordine globale, Il Mulino 2023.
- Maier Ch. S., Dentro i confini. Einaudi 2019.
- Raffestin C., Per una geografia del potere. Unicopli, Milano 2022. (Nuova edizione a cura di dell'Agnese E.).
- Oppenheimer F., Lo Stato. Storia ed evoluzione. Edizioni Il Foglio, Piombino 2020.
- Pappalardo F., La parabola dello Stato moderno. Da un mondo "senza Stato" a uno Stato onnipotente. D'Ettoris Editori, Crotone 2022.
- Breuilly J., La formazione dello Stato nazionale tedesco, Il Mulino, 2004.
- Hansen V., La scoperta del mondo. L'anno Mille e l'inizio della globalizzazione, Mondadori 2021.
- Dodds K., Il primo libro di geopolitica. Einaudi 2023.
- Graziano M., Geopolitica. Orientarsi nel grande disordine internazionale, Il Mulino 2019.
- Lizza G., Gli orizzonti della nuova geopolitica, UTET Università, Torino 2021.
- Ivetic E., Est/Ovest, Il Mulino 2022.
- Bellezza S.A. (a cura di), Atlante geopolitico dello spazio post-sovietico, Scholé (Morcelliana), 2022, (da portare insieme a:) Bellezza S.A., Il destino dell'Ucraina, il futuro dell'Europa, Scholé (Morcelliana), 2022.
- Di Stefano C., Storia del potere in Russia, Morcelliana, 2022.
- Mian M., La guerra bianca, Neri Pozza, Vicenza 2022.
Assessment methods and Criteria
The examination will take place in oral form in the scheduled sessions and will be aimed at verifying learning.
The exam consists of an interview on the scheduled topics, aimed at ascertaining the candidate's degree of preparation on the texts and notes of the seminar lessons. It is also intended to verify the content, exposition and methodological skills regarding the topics of the course.
The exam consists of an interview on the scheduled topics, aimed at ascertaining the candidate's degree of preparation on the texts and notes of the seminar lessons. It is also intended to verify the content, exposition and methodological skills regarding the topics of the course.
M-GGR/02 - ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL GEOGRAPHY - University credits: 6
Lessons: 40 hours
Professor:
Vitale Alessandro
Shifts:
Turno
Professor:
Vitale AlessandroEducational website(s)
Professor(s)
Reception:
Monday 15.30-18.30
office n. 12, Department of International Studies Conservatorio street, 7