Ateneo - UPO

The course will consist of two parts. The first part will address the relationship between research and the teaching of geography. The second part will provide an overview of the main themes and methodologies of cultural history: after a few theoretical lectures, the different fields of study of cultural history will be examined: gender history, the history of food, and of the mass cultural production, the idea of disability and handicap. In the final part, the course will be dedicated to the so-called “animal history:” through the reading of selected texts, students will explore the origins, themes and possibilities of the study of the relationship between humans and animals.

For the first part of the course: ATTENDING STUDENTS: - E-learning lessons and documents uploaded on DIR; digital teaching platform; - articles available in the following volume: Giovanna Filosa, Emanuela Gamberoni (a cura di), Una scuola inclusiva. Azioni per contrastare i rischi di dispersione di alunne e alunni di origine straniera, Milano, Franco Angeli, 2023 First Part ‒ Ricognizioni sul fenomeno: Studenti Nai: emergenza, risorsa, opportunità. L’azione della scuola come comunità educante inclusiva e il ruolo chiave del dirigente scolastico di Anna Sturino; La didattica della geografia come antidoto alla dispersione formativa di Claudio Gambino; Finalità e obiettivi geografici per l’accoglienza, l’integrazione e la cittadinanza: ruolo e significato della formazione geografica di Maria Fiori; L’inclusione 4.0: come abbattere le distanze di Sabrina Malizia; I confini del dialogo interculturale e i ponti dell’apprendimento/formativi di Felice Arona, Vincenzo Di Natale, Sabrina Malizia, Daniela Turrisi; Le aree interne italiane e le sfide dell’accoglienza e della formazione della popolazione migrante: alcune note preliminari di Gianni Petino. Articles available in OpenAccess: https://series.francoangeli.it/index.php/oa/catalog/book/952 NON ATTENDING STUDENTS: Gino De Vecchis, Daniela Pasquinelli d'Allegra, Dentro la geografia. Teorie e Pratiche per la scuola secondaria, UTET Università, Milano, 2026 One of the following volumes: 1) Daniela La Foresta (a cura di), Territori digitali e nuove progettualità educative per l’insegnamento della geografia, Milano, Franco Angeli, 2025. Available in OpenAccess: https://series.francoangeli.it/index.php/oa/catalog/book/1489; 2) Giovanna Filosa, Emanuela Gamberoni (a cura di), Una scuola inclusiva. Azioni per contrastare i rischi di dispersione di alunne e alunni di origine straniera, Milano, Franco Angeli, 2023. Available in OpenAccess: https://series.francoangeli.it/index.php/oa/catalog/book/952; 3) Cristiano Giorda, Giacomo Zanolin (a cura di), Idee geografiche per educare al mondo, Milano, Franco Angeli, 2020. Available in OpenAccess: https://series.francoangeli.it/index.php/oa/catalog/book/470
For the second part of the course all students will prepare the topics covered in the course through the complete reading of:
1. Carlotta Sorba e Federico Mazzini, La svolta culturale. Come è cambiata la pratica storiografica, Laterza, Roma-Bari 2021.
2. Simone A. Bellezza, Gli imperi del nazionalismo: politica e appartenenza nell’Europa centro-orientale, in L’età contemporanea. Prospettive di storia europea e globale, a cura di Marco Bresciani e Fulvio Conti, Carocci, Roma 2023, pp. 29-56.
3. Giulia Guazzaloca, Umani e animali. Breve storia di una relazione complicata, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2021.
For the seminar part, the lecturer will assign to each participant the specific readings to prepare the oral presentation.
Those who are unable to attend classes and participate in the seminar will prepare for the exam reading also:
• Giulia Guazzaloca, Primo: non maltrattare. Storia della protezione degli animali in Italia, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2018.

For the first part of the course, at a basic level, the student will be able to identify, learn and evaluate the main problems of contemporary world; to know the main methodologies of application of knowledge to disciplinary teaching; to understand different geographical scales (global, supranational, national, regional and local). He/she will be able to understand the role of humanity in shaping the organization of the territory and to analyse the relations between the different global and local territorial systems. Critical understanding of the texts studied, the basic skills of bibliographical research and the main topics related to disciplinary teaching methodologies (the main conceptual nodes, the use of technologies and the specific role of the teacher). 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. The course aims to enable the student to analyze the geographical phenomena, to use the theoretical knowledge acquired appropriately and to apply to disciplinary teaching methodologies. The aim of the course is also to acquire the ability to express critical judgements on the topics discussed, also as the result of a personal re-elaboration of students. The measurement of the mentioned objectives will be possible during the examination.
At a basic level, the aim of second part of the course is to provide students with an overview of the themes and methodologies of cultural history, problematizing concepts such as culture, nature, memory, gender, sexuality, national belonging. The second aim is to provide, through the seminar part, an opportunity to exercise one's ability to research and analyze documents and interpretations of cultural history, showing how these can also be applied in deciphering contemporary reality.
At an advanced level, the aim is to provide in-depth knowledge of the historiographical debate on the cultural turn, including the specific contributions of specific authors and research. The objective of the second part of the course is to provide the tools through which students can analyze and understand mass culture as a whole, even outside the European context.
The credits for classroom instruction are divided between lecture-based instruction (DE) and interactive instruction (DI) in the following proportion: DE 1.8 credits and DI 0.7 credits. The credits for self-study total 9.5.

Basic knowledge of human and economic geography.

The first part of the course will use 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. The second part of the course combines lectures and seminars throughout its duration: the instructor will explain the themes and methodologies of cultural history and, from time to time, will invite students (individually or in groups) to present a specific reading. Gradually, the seminar component of the course will become more important: in the final sessions, students will be asked to prepare short oral presentations on the methodology and themes of animal history. The reading material to be presented will be discussed by the instructor with individual students during office hours and in class starting from the very first class of the course, so as to give students the necessary time to prepare.

This course gives 6 credits in the M - GGR / 01 sector. These credits are essential for access to teaching in secondary school. The objectives and contents of the course take into account the provisions of laws about educational methodologies and technologies. 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://uniupo.it/it/servizi/servizi-studentesse-e-studenti-condizione-di-fragilit%C3%A0-disabilit%C3%A0-dsa-bes. 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.

For the first part of the course the exam is written and will last one hour. For those attending the test will cover the topics proposed during the course to be developed in the form of a Learning Unit. For non-attending students, the test consists of six questions and the requirement to answer five of them on the following points: 1) checking the acquired knowledge on topics treated in bibliography proposed on the teaching methodologies (example of question: “How the textbook is a teaching resource for geography?”); 2) check of the ability to apply knowledge and its understanding, by contextualizing the main examined phenomena in an appropriate geographical framework (example of question: “Illustrate how story maps and digital storytelling are useful resources for geography teaching”) 3) check of the ability in expressing critical opinions on tools and teaching methodologies, also through an analysis of the bibliography proposed (example of question: What are the main features of CLIL?”); 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 characteristics of geographical competence development through the flipped classroom?”). 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 the geographical literature and tools for teaching the discipline with particular reference to the main conceptual nodes, the use of technology and the specific role of the teacher: 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. For the second part of the course the assessment will take place both during the seminar portion and during the final oral exam. With regard to the seminar portion, the evaluation will consider not only each student’s presentation but also their engagement during other presentations and their participation in the discussion to compare the different cases and arrive at an overall interpretation. The final grade will be determined as follows: 60% oral exam 30% presentation 10% participation during the seminar. The grade will be determined by the following elements: - a general knowledge of concepts and events as a set of notions without a conceptual link between them, with the use of inappropriate language in oral discussion, will be considered sufficient. The only presentation of one's reading without interaction in the seminar part will be considered just enough. Corresponding vote: 18-22
- A more in-depth but not detailed knowledge of concepts and events, with the use of a language generally appropriate to the topic being discussed, will be considered discreet. The interaction in the seminar part with the readings presented by the other participants, making comparisons and references with one's own case study, will be considered discreet. Corresponding vote: 22-26.
- An in-depth knowledge, showing a good understanding of the relationships between different phenomena and the ability to use the notions learned autonomously, applying them to different events, will be judged as satisfactory. It will be judged fully satisfactory if the student shows an ability to speak of the texts he has read with independent judgement, enucleating the author's point of view and dialoguing with it in a critical way. The interaction during the seminar part that demonstrates the will to elaborate a general interpretation of all the readings will be considered excellent. Corresponding grade: 27-30 cum laude.

The first part of the course will present: - Current issues in geographical research and teaching. - Themes, methods and tools. - Reflections on the history of geographic education. - Main teaching methodologies and the use of photography. -GIS for a modern Geography. A Geography of emotions. - Integration of the gender dimension. Within this part lectures will focus on the condition of women, with examples and in-depth analysis related to teaching methodologies. The lectures of the second part of the course will follow this general outline: - Lecture 1: Introduction to the course and practical information. What is cultural history: a methodological introduction.

- Lecture 2: The document of cultural history. New historiography on the nation.

- Lecture 3: Women’s history, gender history, and the history of sexuality.

- Lecture 4: Orientalism and Indian Subaltern Studies; oral history.

- Lecture 5: Cultural history of disability.

- Lecture 6: Mass culture: the cultural history of food and vegetarianism.

- Lecture 7: Mass culture: the cultural history of music and pop culture.

- Lecture 8: Russian culture from the Tsarist Empire to Stalinist “kulturnost’.”

- Lecture 9: The culture of the Thaw: examples of analyzing a film and two songs.

- Lecture 10: Cultural History of Music: The Example of the Eurovision Song Contest.

- Lecture 11: A Practical Example of Cultural History (lecture with a guest lecturer).

- Lecture 12: Seminar: What Are Animals and How Can They Be the Subject of History?

- Lecture 13: Seminar: Themes and Issues in the History of Animals.

- Lecture 14: Seminar: The Question of Animal Agency.

- Lecture 15: Seminar: The History of Ethology.


Integration of the gender dimension.
The course dedicates ample space to the study of the gender dimension, in particular in lessons 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.

The first part of this course aims to provide advanced tools to understand the contemporary world geography and the main differences in the contemporary development. KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING - Knowledge of current issues in geographical research and teaching ; - Knowledge of the history of geographic education; - Knowledge of the main teaching methodologies and the use of photography and GIS ; - Knowledge of geography of emotions; - Critical understanding of the topics studied; - Critical understanding of specific teaching activities about geographical topics. 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 propose specific teaching activities about geographical topics; - Ability to use the appropriate lexicon to communicate - clearly and effectively - knowledge, information and opinions related to the topics dealt with.
The outcomes of the second part of the course are:
At the basic level:
Knowledge and understanding:
Students must demonstrate knowledge and ability to understand the issues related to cultural history. They must demonstrate knowledge of the fundamental stages in the development of cultural history, with particular attention to the authors and works that have contributed to the culturalist turning point since the 1960s. Students must be able to explain the meaning and limits of the conceptual tools of cultural history, such as culture, memory, nation, gender and sexuality.
Applied knowledge and understanding:
Students must demonstrate that they are able to understand and discuss problems concerning the European cultural history of the contemporary age and that they know how to use the instrument of cultural history to analyze a concrete case.

At advanced level:
Knowledge and understanding:
Students must demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of the development of the historiography of the cultural turning point, outlining the limits and merits of each historiographical current.
Applied knowledge and understanding:
Student must demonstrate the ability to use the tools used in the seminar to analyze the production of mass culture in general, even outside the European cultural context

These learning outcomes are consistent with the provisions of the SUA of the Study Programme, framework A4.b2 (particularly for the Historical Area).