CULTURAL GEOGRAPHY OF THE MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA

The module is an integrative activity for the second year of the Degree Course in Languages, Cultures and Societies of Asia and Mediterranean Africa, Middle East and Africa curriculum. Its aim is to provide basic elements of cultural geography, with particular attention to the Middle East and Africa. This is a fundamental approach for students to interact with the cultures of those areas, as part of their learning of cultural and humanistic competences. The seminar will focus on the analysis of cultural specificities and the relationship between the 'West' and the 'East' from a post-colonial perspective. It will also cover themes such as landscape, colonialism, relations between minorities and majorities, borders, and conflicts. These themes will be illustrated especially through examples of urban development in the area.

1. Knowledge and understanding:
Knowledge of the conceptual tools of cultural geography; understanding of the main mechanisms in place in the perception / understanding of the world and of human relationships; knowledge of the main problems related to: space, landscape, intercommunity dynamics.

2. Applying knowledge and understanding:
Ability to apply the tools of cultural geography in evaluating the different aspects of the landscape and the complex dynamics that underpin inter-community relations in order to interact with people of different cultures.

3. Making judgements:
Ability to critically and consciously evaluate new geographical and cultural contexts

4. Communication skills:
Ability to illustrate the different aspects dealt with in the course in a clear and analytical way.

5. Learning skills:
Ability to critically integrate the documents provided by the teacher and the notes taken in class.

No prerequisites are required to attend the course

Elements of cultural geography: history and specificity of the discipline; orientation, cartography and cultural conditioning; reading landscape and its political use. Case studies: universal expositions; colonial urban development in Morocco; Dubai as a non-place; political uses of landscape: Jerusalem; futuristic landscapes in Saudi Arabia; divisions and conflicts: Beirut; building coexistence: Stone Town.

Bibliography and handouts will be provided during the classes and uploaded on the moodle platform.

Well-recommended:
AUGE' M., Disneyland e altri nonluoghi, Torino,Bollati Boringhieri, 1999.
BORGHI, R. Postcolonialsimo, geografia e costruzione delle identita,Milano, UNICOPLI, 2007.
LA CECLA f., Perdersi. L'uomo senza ambiente, Bari Laterza 2005.
ZANINI P., Significati del confine: limiti naturali, storici, mentali, Milano, Bruno Mondadori 1997.
AIME, M. Eccessi di culture, Torino, Einaudi 2004.

The examination will consist of two parts: a written examination in which students will comment on a picture provided by the lecturer, based on the skills acquired in the course (20% of the final mark); an oral examination based on the material uploaded to the moodle platform (60% of the final mark), in order to assess their learning and understanding of the topics covered in the course. Details of the written exam will be uploaded on the moodle platform.

Lectures with power point, commenting readings and video material.

Italian

oral

This subject deals with topics related to the macro-area "Cities, infrastructure and social capital" and contributes to the achievement of one or more goals of U. N. Agenda for Sustainable Development