ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL GEOGRAPHY OF ARAB COUNTRIES

Within the framework of the course in Language, Politics and Economics of the Arab countries, this teaching aims at studying key topics of the composite political and economic geography of the region through a critical approach that puts at the centre the perspectives from below.

Students will acquire the analytical and methodological tools necessary to critically interpret the complex and variegated political and economic geography of the Arab region, by investigating key topics (e.g the labour question; environment and exploitation of natural resources; agricultural development and food crisis), drawing from several case studies (from North Africa to the Gulf), and taking into account a plurality of sources.

Knowledge of English
Background knowledge of the contemporary history of economic policies in the Arab countries

This teaching will deal with the following topics and corresponding case studies in order to better understand the problems affecting such areas, prevailing narratives and policies as well as forms of resistance and alternative practices:
i) Agricultural development and agribusiness (case studies: Morocco, Tunisia and Palestinian Territories);
ii) Employment of female workers in the export-oriented textile industry (case study: Jordan and Morocco) and the domestic service sector (case studies: Gulf countries and Lebanon);
iii) Energy resources and environment geographies (case studies on Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco and Palestinian Territories;
iii) Labour mobilisation and unemployed movements (case studies on Morocco, Tunisia and Egypt).

The list of readings to prepare the examination will be available on moodle https://moodle.unive.it/login/index.php a few weeks before the beginning of the course (A.Y. 2023-2024).

Not attending students are kindly requested to get in contact with me.

The issues covered during my lectures will be examined through group activities at the end of each topic.

- Power-point presentations
- Case study analysis
- Group activities
- Analysis of audio sources and videos
- Analysis of primary sources (interviews, official documents, statistical data..)
- Complementary readings on the covered topics (not compulsory for the exam)

Italian

oral

This subject deals with topics related to the macro-area "Circular economy, innovation, work" and contributes to the achievement of one or more goals of U. N. Agenda for Sustainable Development