This class is aimed to provide students with an overview of the social organization of space, and of methods to study and analyse it. Starting from the traditions of rural and urban sociology, the territorial dimension of societies will be discussed, especially in their relevance to analyse social phenomena. In particular, a special attention will be devoted to the territorial dimensions of inequalities and social change, in their relation with globalization processes.
The aim is to provide tools for an ecological analysis of social phenomena, raising awareness on the spatial formation of social facts, both at the macro- and micro-level.

General section
Territory, space, place
Social form of/in space
The ecological analysis
Boundary-making and local identities
Spatial unevenness and local development
Mobility
Governing territories

Special section:
Vulnerability, risks and space
Globalization, development, marginal areas 
City, urbanization and social group
Applied social research for spatial planning 

None.

Knowledge and understanding: knowledge of main theoretical approaches to spatial analysis and of main social processes related to spatial phenomena. Such knowledge and understanding has to be achieved by studying suggested literature.

Applying knowledge and understanding: critical analysis of spatial social processes and policies. Skills to be achieved with discussion on the relation between literature, recent events and exercises

Skills: using knowledge and understanding above to define research and practice on the spatial dimension of social processes. Skills to be achieved via simulations and exercises

The teaching material prepared by the lecturer in addition to recommended textbooks (such as for instance slides, lecture notes, exercises, bibliography) and communications from the lecturer specific to the course can be found inside the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it

A set of seminars on specific topics (food; small towns) will be presented at the beginning of the lessons

Teaching

Frontal lessons, with the support of ICT and audiovisuals.

On a voluntary basis and according to available projects, students can be involved in fieldwork researches on:

- use and reuse of urban spaces;
- analysis of secondary data for planning;
- analysis of socio-spatial change
- analysis of territorial infrastructures and needs

Attendance

Attend 3/4 of lesson hours. Studying reference literature: it is possible to arrange an individualized programme or to write a short essay substituting reference literature. The essay must be written in autonomy and studying a minimum of three books; a plagiarism checker will be used.

Course books

Students attending lessions have to study a total of 3 books: the handbook (1) and two books chosen in the list (2) below 

1) Handbook
- G. Osti, Sociologia del territorio, Il Mulino, Bologna, 2010

2) Specific topics
- A. Mela, S. Mugnano, D. Olori (a cura di), Territori vulnerabili. Verso una nuova sociologia dei disastri italiana, Franco Angeli, Milano, 2017
- J.W. Moore, Antropocene o capitalocene? Scenari di ecologia-mondo nella crisi planetaria, Ombre corte, Verona, 2017
- N. Brenner, Stato, spazio, urbanizzazione, Guerini, Milano, 2016
- A. De Rossi (a cura di), Riabitare l'Italia. Le aree interne tra abbondono e riconquiste, Donzelli, Roma, 2020 (Parte prima; parte seconda; una a scelta fra parte terza e parte quarta)
- G. Carrosio, I margini al centro. L'Italia delle aree interne tra fragilità e innovazione, Donzelli, Roma, 2019
- S. Vicari Haddock (a cura di), Questioni urbane, Il Mulino, Bologna, 2013
- M. Barbagli, M. Pisati, Dentro e fuori le mura. Città e gruppi sociali dal 1400 a oggi, Il Mulino, Bologna, 2012 
- L. Chiesi, Il doppio spazio dell’architettura. Ricerca sociologica e progettazione, Liguori, Napoli, 2010
- G. Semi, Gentrification. Tutte le città come Disneyland?, Il Mulino, Bologna, 2015
- G. Manella, Chicago e gli studi urbani. L’attualità della Scuola Ecologica, Franco Angeli, Milano, 2013
- A. Agustoni, Città e sistemi mondo, Carocci, Roma, 2022
- N. Borrelli, A. Mela, Lo spazio del cibo, Carocci, Roma, 2019

Assessment

Oral exam, with a discussion on reference literature and their relation with practices, experiences, recent events and debates

Students are particularly appreciated when:
- they study books in foreign languages
- they show to be able to connect different concepts, theories, researches
- they take part into research activities, and are able to connect knowledge and experience
- the proficiency in professional lingo

Students attending lessons regularly can also write an essay, one one of the two lab topics for this year: sociology of food; sociology of small towns. The essay must be around 15 pages long, and must imply the study and analysis of a minimum of three books (to be agreed with the lecturer). The essay must be delivered at least 10 days before the exam.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

Teaching

Studying suggested literature

Attendance

Studying reference literature: it is possible to arrange an individualized programme substituting reference literature as long as the new books are consistent with the aim of this class.

Course books

Besides the same literature foreseen for students regularly atting lessons, those not attending or attending irregularly must study one of the following:

- F. Barca, Disuguaglianze territoriali e bisogno sociale. La sfida delle "aree interne", Fondazione Ermanno Guerrieri, Modena, 2015 (available: http://www.fondazionegorrieri.it/index.php/pubblicazioni/opuscoli-e-lettura-gorrieri/item/lettura-2015)
- G. Viesti, Verso la secessione dei ricchi? Autonomie regionali e unità nazionale, Laterza, Roma-Bari, 2019 (available: https://www.laterza.it/scheda-libro/?isbn=9788858136430)
- Five entries from the Enciclopedia sociologica dei luoghi, edited by G. Nuvolati, Ledizioni, Milan (Vol. 1, 2, 3 and/or 4. The ebook version can be downloaded for free from the publisher's website) 

Assessment

Oral exam, with a discussion on reference literature and their relation with practices, experiences, recent events and debates

Students are particularly appreciated when:
- they study books in foreign languages
- they show to be able to connect different concepts, theories, researches
- they take part into research activities, and are able to connect knowledge and experience 
- the proficiency in professional lingo

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

Students can request to sit the final exam in English with an alternative programme.

I'm available to flank students interested to complete their internship doing research with a professor. I can flank students interested in the following fields

• Local environmental policies
• Local youth policy
• Indicators for local policy-making
• Features, policies and data on immigrant integration (with a special focus on small towns or refugees)
• Food and space