Program Overview

GEOGRAFIA RURALE

Presentation

The rural geography studies people, places, and landscapes of rural areas, as well as social and economic processes that shape these geographies. This course will focus on the definition of rural landscape as a product of geographic-physical and socio-economic dynamics, with particular attention to the Ligurian and Mediterranean context.

Objectives and Contents

Educational Objectives

The module aims to provide keys to reading and interpreting the main phenomena in rural areas of the Mediterranean, with particular reference to territorial and landscape dynamics of the Ligurian mountains. The genesis and diversification of rural landscapes are intrinsically connected to a system of agro-silvo-pastoral practices that have almost completely disappeared due to the depopulation of internal areas.

Detailed Educational Objectives and Learning Outcomes

At the end of the course, students will be able to:

• Identify the elements and factors underlying the territorial articulation of rural areas and their geographical differentiation
• Identify the main physical-geographical and socio-economic phenomena in rural areas, also with reference to geographical-historical processes and the evolution of agro-food production
• Analyze and re-elaborate data and information, use documentary sources (scientific literature, cartography) and fieldwork correctly
• Trace connections between rural landscapes and associated agro-food productions
• Extend the geographical lexicon and be able to elaborate an oral presentation and a written paper on topics related to rural geography

Didactic Methods

The course consists of online lessons in asynchronous mode, which will be used for the exposition and discussion of the main notions of rural geography and its applications at the Mediterranean, national, and regional scale. Integrative activities in the classroom are also planned.

Program/Content

The program is divided into three parts:

1. Introduction to rural geography, concepts, and themes, main methodological approaches, research tools. Rural areas in Italy and the Mediterranean. Environmental and socio-economic processes in progress, with particular reference to agro-food productions.
2. Rural areas of Liguria. Analysis of the geographical-historical evolution and landscape dynamics (depopulation of mountain areas, urbanization of valleys, contraction of agricultural production). Analysis of the current situation (renaturalization, hydrogeological risk, recent cases of "return to the land", enhancement of local productions).
3. Group work (groups of 3-5 people) on representative case studies (chosen by students based on the topics developed in class). Group work will be presented in class and must be developed in the form of a thesis, which will be evaluated during the exam for attending students.

Texts/Bibliography

For Attending Students

• Materials uploaded to Aulaweb, integrated with what is exposed by the teacher in class and opportunely summarized in the notes taken during the lesson
• To support the notes, attending students must prepare some articles that will be indicated by the teacher

For Non-Attending Students

• Materials uploaded to Aulaweb
• To support the notes, non-attending students must also prepare the volume: Emilio Sereni, Storia del Paesaggio Agrario Italiano (Laterza, 1961 or subsequent editions)

Teachers and Commissions

• Pietro Piana
• Reception: Student reception takes place on Tuesday from 3 pm to 5 pm at the teacher's studio at DISPI - Albergo dei poveri, Piazzale Brignole, 2 canc., Torre centrale, IV Piano, room 4/38, or through the TEAMS channel "Ricevimento Piana", code: rkgn47v.

Examination Commission

• Domenico Branca (President)
• Pietro Piana (President)
• Anna Siri (President)
• Giacomo Zanolin (President)

Lessons

Start of Lessons

The start of lessons is consultable at the address: EasyAcademy Portal

Lesson Schedule

The schedule of this course is consultable at the address: EasyAcademy Portal

Exams

Examination Methods

Written exam (open-ended questions).

Assessment Methods

Questions are formulated to assess both the degree of understanding of theoretical notions and the ability to reason using such notions. Questions on theoretical notions will allow evaluating the level of understanding. Questions that require the elaboration of a reasoning will allow evaluating the level of competence and autonomy of judgment matured by the student.