Economics and Finance

ROBERTA GEMMITI

Knowledge

The students should able to know and understand the process that contribute to the present configuration of social, economic, and territorial relations of several world countries.



Skills

The students should able to know the territorial configuration of main economic sector, which there are important process of integration between countries and world regions, and at the same time, considerable differentiation of economic development. Other skills gained are about urban complexity, environmental question, regional planning and knowledge on main aspects of geoeconomic cartography.

The students will learn the geographical dimensions of development processes. Environment and nature, absolute and relative space, territory will be the conceptual dimensions through which they will be able to interpret the phenomenon of development, underdevelopment, territorial gaps, socio-spatial inequalities, spatial and environmental injustice.
With these tools, they will be able to draw the possible development paths at different geographical scales, integrating also the knowledge acquired regarding the spatial localization processes and the opportunities for socio-territorial innovation in the current era.

No requisites

The course seeks to answer the following questions: how can we read the processes of economic and social development through the spatial, environmental and territorial dimensions? How does the concept of development change and through which innovative tools can we promote it, if we integrate the concepts of space, environment, ecosystem, territory into the study? How can the choice between different theories and analysis tools change our point of view on development and guide concrete policy choices? Can we build a future of more equitable well-being, of livable policies and places, of a new relationship between society and nature?
The Economic Geography course therefore aims to let students experiment with the concepts and tools of economic geography in understanding economic organization and development processes.
A first part of the course will be dedicated to the theme of development and inequalities in the world, reconstructing the evolutionary paradigms of the Western economy and the organization to which they gave rise (18 hours). A second part will deal with globalization and the new international division of labor, with particular attention to global value chains, showing the different interpretative categories and critical aspects (18 hours). A third module will explore the role of cities in promoting economic growth and as a place for experimenting with policies for environmental, social and cultural sustainability (8 hours).
A fourth module will cover development theories, regional and spatial development, human development, sustainable development, spatial and environmental justice. This last category will be applied to delve deeper into the themes of agriculture and resources on a global scale.

For attending students, the program consists of notes and material made available.

Non attending students may choose one of these book:
- Dini F., Randelli F., Romei P., Geografia Economica, Mondadori Università, 2020;
- Conti S., Dematteis G., Nano F., Vanolo A., Geografia dell'economia mondiale, QUINTA EDIZIONE, Utet Università, 2022

For further readings please contact the teacher

Except for the pandemic provisions, the course is proposed in a traditional way. Students are required to actively participate, through small presentations on selected topics. At the beginning of the course will be required to do a small homework to verify the knowledge of some fundamental concepts (such as space and development).

Attendance is optional but highly recommended. Dialogue with the teacher and with colleagues is the most profitable way to learn. Attendance allows students to: a) access the ongoing tests; b) prepare the exam on the notes and on the material (provided by the teacher). At least 80% of attendance is required to be considered frequented. No signatures are required, but the teacher will provide through the involvement to verify attendance.

Attending students have the opportunity to participate in an ongoing test (in November, in written and non-compulsory form), with a consequent evaluation which will be taken into account in the final exam.
Students will be asked to carry out in-depth analysis of topics, with possible presentations in the classroom. This work will give up to three extra marks in the final exam.
The January and February exams, for attending students, will be held in written form. For non attending students it will be oral.
The test consists of three questions, with free and discursive answers, each of which is assigned a score of up to 10/30.
All subsequent exams take place in the form of an oral interview.

Meaning and difference between a) geography of the city and b) geography of cities (examples of models and theories)
Concepts of internal economies of scale and agglomeration economies
Symbiosis between urban growth and growth of the Fordist industry
Concepts of productive decentralization and territorial decentralization
The city according to von thunen and the city according to Park-Burgess-McKenzie
Urban network metaphor, meaning and examples
The leap in scale of the city
Monocentric cities and polycentric cities
Typology of urban networks