Ateneo - UPO

AN INTRODUCTION TO GEOGRAPHY

ATTENDING STUDENTS: - E-learning lessons and documents uploaded on "DIR" digital teaching platform; - Gino De Vecchis, Edoardo Boria, Manuale di geografia, Roma, Carocci editore, 2022 (chapters from 3 to 6 included). NON ATTENDING STUDENTS The student who intends to take the exam as NOT attending will bring the following program: 1) Gino De Vecchis, Edoardo Boria, Manuale di geografia, Roma, Carocci editore, 2022 (chapters from 1 to 8 included) 2) Angela Asole, Gabriella Arena, Cosimo Palagiano, Cartografia e territorio nei secoli, Roma, Carocci editore, 2020.

The course aims, at a basic level, to transfer to students: - the basic knowledge related to the main characteristics of the social and economic organization of the earth surface; - the ability to frame the main phenomena dealt with during the course and to understand the main features and dynamics of the territory from the local to the global scale; -the ability to make judgements on sustainable development based on the principles of ecosystem integrity, economic efficiency and social integrity. At a more advanced level, the aim of the course is to acquire: - an in-depth and full knowledge of the most relevant topics of Geography; - to produce new solutions, using appropriate theoretical knowledge acquired and the specific terminology learnt. The measurement of the mentioned objectives will be possible during the examination.

Basic geographical knowledge at the high-school level.

Lectures (in class lessons and itinerant in Vercelli region), slides, powerpoint presentations, materials and link on case studies and discussions in class and in the DIR platform.

This course and Human Geography (scheduled for II year full-time) give 12 credits in the M - GGR / 01 sector. These credits are essential for access to teaching in secondary school. Students with physical disabilities, Learning Disabilities or Special Education Needs can request specific services and tools via the Staff Sviluppo e Coordinamento Carriere e Servizi alle Studentesse e agli Studenti, consulting the University webpage: https://www.uniupo.it/en/services/servicesstudents- physical-or-learning-disabilities Students with disabilities, learning disabilities or special education needs, once they have contacted the University Staff, can refer to the tutor in charge of the course to define the examination modalities, concerning academic aspects.

The exam is written and will be organized as follows: 1) checking the acquired knowledge on topics treated during the course, in relation to specific themes concerning Geography (example of question: “What is meant by migration?”); 2) check of the ability to apply knowledge and its understanding, by contextualizing the main examined phenomena , in time, space and in an appropriate geographical framework (example of question: “What factors are currently slowing down population growth?”) 3) check of the ability in expressing critical opinions about the topics discussed, also through an analysis of the bibliography proposed (example of question: what do you think are the main resources and risks associated with the presence of volcanoes?”); 4) check of the ability in communicating acquired knowledge and in organizing a synthetic presentation of the main problems (example of question: “What are the main features of Greek cartography?”). The exam consists of six questions and the requirement to answer five of them. The grade is expressed in thirtieths and the evaluation is carried out according to the following parameters: 1) knowledge and understanding of the basic notions and contexts treated in the course and their clear exposition: 18 points out of 30 (sufficiency); 2) ability to frame topics, in space, time and with reference to appropriate geographical categories: 6 points out of 30; 3) adequate skill in connecting subjects and methodological approaches as well as in using scientific terminology associated to the discipline: 6 points out of 30.

Starting from an overview of the historical development of geography and cartography and the nineteenth- and twentieth-century international geographical thought, the course will analyze the man-environment relationship, with the related environmental problems. The second part of the course will focus on the analysis of the influence that the cultural factors, the socio-historical factors and the political-economic factors have on the territorial asset. In particular, the analysis of cultural and socio-historical factors will focus on the condition of women.

This course aims to offer an understanding of the evolution of the geographical thought and the main types of territorial organization. KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING - Knowledge of the historical development of the international geographical thought (nineteenth and first part of the twentieth-century); - Knowledge of the man-environment relationship, with the related environmental problems; - Knowledge of the influence that the cultural, socio-historical and political-economic factors have on the territorial asset. APPLYING KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING - Ability to understand the connections between texts and geographical contexts, using the critical and methodological tools appropriate to the analysis; - Ability to use the appropriate lexicon to communicate - clearly and effectively - knowledge, information and opinions related to the topics dealt with.