Cultural Geography
A.Y. 2023/2024
Learning objectives
The first part of the course aims at introducing the students to a critical reflection on the theoretical and practice content of cultural geography, from its origins to its various branches. It will also present the New Cultural Geography that, since the 1980s of the 20th century, has paved the way to the classic themes of cultural geography (spaces, places and landscapes, in the light of the following approaches: marxist, psychoanalitical, postmodern, of gender studies and of cultural studies). The second part of the course will analyze in particular the humanistic and literary aspects of cultural geography in order to introduce students to a successful intertwining between Geography and Literature.
Expected learning outcomes
At the of the course students should have acquired the ability to understand the symbolic and metaphorical meanings of the cultural processes characterizing places and made explicit in specific symbolic forms and landscape patterns. This year's syllabus, in particular, will require students to show knowledge and understanding of the geographical meanings and dimensions of the mobilities in the third Millenium and of the tourism.
Lesson period: Second semester
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
Second semester
Course syllabus
The first part of the course aims at introducing the students to a critical reflection on contents, practices and instruments of cultural geography, from its origins to the present day. It will present the New Cultural Geography that, since the 1980s of the 20th century, has paved the way to the traditional themes of cultural geography (spaces, territories, places and landscapes) in the light of the approaches neo-marxist, psychoanalytical, postmodern, of gender studies and spiritualists. These skills complement the education of high-profile experts in the field of intercultural communication and international cooperation.
The second part of the course uses cultural geography to read the mechanisms related to the enhancement of environmental and landscape components in identity terms. In particular, the main contemporary ways of nature construction and fruition will be presented, inserted in the broader context of globalization, of the current cultural and socio-economic relations and of the most modern communicative realities. Therefore, a focus will be provided on the cultural practices related to the management and the enhancement of the landscape, of protected areas and of heritage, with a particular attention to the ethical, critical, supportive and sustainable impacts as well as to the types of heritage (cultural heritage, "bottom-up" heritage, new heritage, heritage of everyday and presentation of selected national, European and international case studies).
The second part of the course uses cultural geography to read the mechanisms related to the enhancement of environmental and landscape components in identity terms. In particular, the main contemporary ways of nature construction and fruition will be presented, inserted in the broader context of globalization, of the current cultural and socio-economic relations and of the most modern communicative realities. Therefore, a focus will be provided on the cultural practices related to the management and the enhancement of the landscape, of protected areas and of heritage, with a particular attention to the ethical, critical, supportive and sustainable impacts as well as to the types of heritage (cultural heritage, "bottom-up" heritage, new heritage, heritage of everyday and presentation of selected national, European and international case studies).
Prerequisites for admission
Students are expected to know the main concepts of human geography (space, environment, population, territory and region, landscape) and urban geography. Students who have not done exams in geography are requested to supplement the program by reading Frémont A., Vi piace la geografia?, Carocci, Roma, 2007.
Teaching methods
Face-to-face lessons to privilege the logical-conceptual learning channel; participatory lessons supported by videos, images, photographs, cartographic and paracartographic representations to strengthen the visual and iconographic learning channel; dialogic lessons held by the professor and by experts on specific topics.
Teaching Resources
The teaching will be organized in two teaching units:
Teaching unit A for attending students:
- e-learning lessons and documents uploaded on "Ariel" digital teaching platform;
- Banini T., Geografie culturali, Franco Angeli, Milano, 2019.
Teaching unit B for attending students:
- e-learning lessons and documents uploaded on "Ariel" digital teaching platform;
- one book to be chosen from the following two:
Berque A., Pensare il paesaggio (ed. critica a cura di Maggioli M. e Tanca M.), Mimesis, Milano-Udine, 2022;
Zanolin G., Geografia dei parchi nazionali italiani, Carocci, Roma, 2022;
Cannizzaro S. (a cura di), Ambiente Cultura Territorio. Saggi di Geografia culturale, Angelo Pontecorboli Editore, Firenze, 2021.
The student who intends to take the exam as NON attending, will bring the following program:
Teaching unit A for NON attending students:
- Banini T., Geografie culturali, Franco Angeli, Milano, 2019.
- Zanolin G., Geografia dei parchi nazionali italiani, Carocci, Roma, 2022.
Teaching unit B for NON attending students:
- one book to be chosen from the following two:
Berque A., Pensare il paesaggio (ed. critica a cura di Maggioli M. e Tanca M.), Mimesis, Milano-Udine, 2022;
Cannizzaro S. (a cura di), Ambiente Cultura Territorio. Saggi di Geografia culturale, Angelo Pontecorboli Editore, Firenze, 2021;
Pettenati, I paesaggi culturali Unesco in Italia, FrancoAngeli, Milano, 2019.
Teaching unit A for attending students:
- e-learning lessons and documents uploaded on "Ariel" digital teaching platform;
- Banini T., Geografie culturali, Franco Angeli, Milano, 2019.
Teaching unit B for attending students:
- e-learning lessons and documents uploaded on "Ariel" digital teaching platform;
- one book to be chosen from the following two:
Berque A., Pensare il paesaggio (ed. critica a cura di Maggioli M. e Tanca M.), Mimesis, Milano-Udine, 2022;
Zanolin G., Geografia dei parchi nazionali italiani, Carocci, Roma, 2022;
Cannizzaro S. (a cura di), Ambiente Cultura Territorio. Saggi di Geografia culturale, Angelo Pontecorboli Editore, Firenze, 2021.
The student who intends to take the exam as NON attending, will bring the following program:
Teaching unit A for NON attending students:
- Banini T., Geografie culturali, Franco Angeli, Milano, 2019.
- Zanolin G., Geografia dei parchi nazionali italiani, Carocci, Roma, 2022.
Teaching unit B for NON attending students:
- one book to be chosen from the following two:
Berque A., Pensare il paesaggio (ed. critica a cura di Maggioli M. e Tanca M.), Mimesis, Milano-Udine, 2022;
Cannizzaro S. (a cura di), Ambiente Cultura Territorio. Saggi di Geografia culturale, Angelo Pontecorboli Editore, Firenze, 2021;
Pettenati, I paesaggi culturali Unesco in Italia, FrancoAngeli, Milano, 2019.
Assessment methods and Criteria
The final exam will be an oral test aimed at verifying the knowledge of the main themes of cultural geography treated in class or present in the texts indicated in the course program. The examination, in particular, will be aimed at:
- ascertaining the achievement of the objectives in terms of knowledge and comprehension;
- ascertaining the ability to apply knowledge and understanding through the discussion of case studies presented during the lessons;
- verifying the student's autonomy of judgment also through the case studies discussed during the lessons;
- ascertaining the mastery of the specific language concerning the Cultural Geography and the ability to present the topics in a clear and orderly manner.
- ascertaining the achievement of the objectives in terms of knowledge and comprehension;
- ascertaining the ability to apply knowledge and understanding through the discussion of case studies presented during the lessons;
- verifying the student's autonomy of judgment also through the case studies discussed during the lessons;
- ascertaining the mastery of the specific language concerning the Cultural Geography and the ability to present the topics in a clear and orderly manner.
M-GGR/01 - GEOGRAPHY - University credits: 6
Lessons: 40 hours
Professors:
Belotti Sara, Tanca Marcello
Educational website(s)
Professor(s)