Environmental Politics
A.Y. 2025/2026
Learning objectives
The teaching aims to provide the basic conceptual tools necessary to frame environmental policies in a geographical perspective. Environmental issues will be critically discussed, with particular reference to the topics of climate change, air pollution and biodiversity protection.
Expected learning outcomes
At the end of the course students will know the milestones of the development of environmental policies. They will also be able to reflect critically on the main theoretical-methodological issues of the discipline.
At the end of the course students will be able to use the acquired knowledge to understand the debate on environmental policies from a geographical perspective, and will therefore be able to adopt appropriate methodologies for the critical analysis of concrete cases of application of environmental policies. Finally, they will be able to interpret these processes with an appropriate geographical approach and will be able to report on them using an appropriate disciplinary vocabulary.
At the end of the course students will be able to use the acquired knowledge to understand the debate on environmental policies from a geographical perspective, and will therefore be able to adopt appropriate methodologies for the critical analysis of concrete cases of application of environmental policies. Finally, they will be able to interpret these processes with an appropriate geographical approach and will be able to report on them using an appropriate disciplinary vocabulary.
Lesson period: Second semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course cannot be attended as a single course. Please check our list of single courses to find the ones available for enrolment.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
Second semester
Course syllabus
During the first part, the course will focus on the definition of the key concepts of the discipline (environment, territory, sustainable development).
In the second and third parts, the lessons will present the main global environmental issues along with the policies developed to tackle them, with specific reference to some sectors (climate change, biodiversity loss, deforestation).
In this phase the course will focus on the different policy instruments (regulatory, economic and voluntary), on the actors involved in the definition of environmental policies and on the main issues related to their implementation.
The course adopts a political ecology perspective. Particular attention will be paid to the co-evolutionary relationship between society and nature, the environmental dimension of the North-South inequality, and the link between poverty and environmental degradation.
In the second and third parts, the lessons will present the main global environmental issues along with the policies developed to tackle them, with specific reference to some sectors (climate change, biodiversity loss, deforestation).
In this phase the course will focus on the different policy instruments (regulatory, economic and voluntary), on the actors involved in the definition of environmental policies and on the main issues related to their implementation.
The course adopts a political ecology perspective. Particular attention will be paid to the co-evolutionary relationship between society and nature, the environmental dimension of the North-South inequality, and the link between poverty and environmental degradation.
Prerequisites for admission
The course is aimed at students enrolled in the third year of Human Sciences of the Environment, Territory and Landscape (enrolled from 2017/2018) and students of Human Sciences of the Environment, Territory and Landscape (old system).
Knowledge of the basic concepts of human geography is required.
Knowledge of the basic concepts of human geography is required.
Teaching methods
The course aims to combine theoretical analysis with practical examples of contemporary problems and environmental policies. To this end, during the lectures various tools will be used (presentations, satellite images, maps, short videos, ...) that help understanding the complexity of the processes presented.
The teacher intends to stimulate the active participation of the students in order to encourage the emergence of a critical approach to the subject.
Five lessons will be dedicated to active learning: students, divided into groups, will analyze different types of texts (newspaper articles, reports, scientific papers) and present them to the class.
The teacher intends to stimulate the active participation of the students in order to encourage the emergence of a critical approach to the subject.
Five lessons will be dedicated to active learning: students, divided into groups, will analyze different types of texts (newspaper articles, reports, scientific papers) and present them to the class.
Teaching Resources
Attending students
First part
- Contents of the lectures
- Bagliani, M., Dansero, E. (2011), Politiche per l'ambiente: dalla natura al territorio, UTET.
Second part
- Contents of the lectures
- Giovannini E. (2018), L' utopia sostenibile, Laterza.
Third part (only for 9cfu exam)
- Contents of the lectures
- One book of the following:
- Bini V. (a cura di) (2020), Africa: la natura contesa. Ecologia politica a Sud del Sahara, Edizioni Ambiente. https://freebook.edizioniambiente.it/libro/133/Africa_la_natura_contesa
- Dobson A. (2016), Environmental politics. A very short introduction, Oxford University Press.
- Martinez Alier J. (2009), Ecologia dei poveri, Jaca Book (English edition available).
- Raworth K. (2017), L'economia della ciambella, Edizioni Ambiente. (English edition available).
- Geography Notebooks, Special issue "I territori dell'ecologia politica" (2020). https://www.ledonline.it/index.php/Geography-Notebooks/issue/view/131/showToc
- Bagliani M., Pietta A., Bonati S. (2019), Il cambiamento climatico in prospettiva geografica, Il Mulino, Bologna.
- Albertazzi S., Bini V., Trivellini G. (2023), Forest and Communities. Deforestation, Conservation and Socio-Ecological Relations in the Mau Forest (Kenya), Milano University Press.
- Angus I., Anthropocene, Asterios, (2020) (English version available)
- Pellizzoni L. (ed) (2023), Introduzione all'ecologia politica, Il Mulino.
- Barca S. (2024), Forze di riproduzione, Edizioni ambiente (english edition available).
Non-attending students:
First part
- Laurent E. (2022), La nuova economia ambientale, UTET (English edition available).
Second part
- Giovannini E. (2018), L' utopia sostenibile, Laterza.
One book of the following:
- Dobson A. (2016), Environmental politics. A very short introduction, Oxford University Press.
- Angus I. (2020), Anthropocene, Asterios. (English edition available)
- Pellizzoni L. (a cura) (2023), Introduzione all'ecologia politica, Il Mulino.
- Bagliani M., Pietta A., Bonati S. (2019), Il cambiamento climatico in prospettiva geografica, Il Mulino, Bologna.
- Barca S. (2024), Forze di riproduzione, Edizioni ambiente. (English edition available)
Third part (only for 9cfu exam)
One book of the following:
- Bini V. (ed) (2020), Africa: la natura contesa. Ecologia politica a Sud del Sahara, Edizioni Ambiente. https://freebook.edizioniambiente.it/libro/133/Africa_la_natura_contesa
- Martinez Alier J. (2009), Ecologia dei poveri, Jaca Book. English version available
- Geography Notebooks, Special issue "I territori dell'ecologia politica" (2020). https://www.ledonline.it/index.php/Geography-Notebooks/issue/view/131/showToc
- Albertazzi S., Bini V., Trivellini G. (in press), Forest and Communities. Deforestation, Conservation and Socio-Ecological Relations in the Mau Forest (Kenya), Milano University Press.
- Raworth K. (2017), L'economia della ciambella, Edizioni Ambiente. (English edition available)
Students who want to take the exam for 12 CFU are requested to contact the teacher
First part
- Contents of the lectures
- Bagliani, M., Dansero, E. (2011), Politiche per l'ambiente: dalla natura al territorio, UTET.
Second part
- Contents of the lectures
- Giovannini E. (2018), L' utopia sostenibile, Laterza.
Third part (only for 9cfu exam)
- Contents of the lectures
- One book of the following:
- Bini V. (a cura di) (2020), Africa: la natura contesa. Ecologia politica a Sud del Sahara, Edizioni Ambiente. https://freebook.edizioniambiente.it/libro/133/Africa_la_natura_contesa
- Dobson A. (2016), Environmental politics. A very short introduction, Oxford University Press.
- Martinez Alier J. (2009), Ecologia dei poveri, Jaca Book (English edition available).
- Raworth K. (2017), L'economia della ciambella, Edizioni Ambiente. (English edition available).
- Geography Notebooks, Special issue "I territori dell'ecologia politica" (2020). https://www.ledonline.it/index.php/Geography-Notebooks/issue/view/131/showToc
- Bagliani M., Pietta A., Bonati S. (2019), Il cambiamento climatico in prospettiva geografica, Il Mulino, Bologna.
- Albertazzi S., Bini V., Trivellini G. (2023), Forest and Communities. Deforestation, Conservation and Socio-Ecological Relations in the Mau Forest (Kenya), Milano University Press.
- Angus I., Anthropocene, Asterios, (2020) (English version available)
- Pellizzoni L. (ed) (2023), Introduzione all'ecologia politica, Il Mulino.
- Barca S. (2024), Forze di riproduzione, Edizioni ambiente (english edition available).
Non-attending students:
First part
- Laurent E. (2022), La nuova economia ambientale, UTET (English edition available).
Second part
- Giovannini E. (2018), L' utopia sostenibile, Laterza.
One book of the following:
- Dobson A. (2016), Environmental politics. A very short introduction, Oxford University Press.
- Angus I. (2020), Anthropocene, Asterios. (English edition available)
- Pellizzoni L. (a cura) (2023), Introduzione all'ecologia politica, Il Mulino.
- Bagliani M., Pietta A., Bonati S. (2019), Il cambiamento climatico in prospettiva geografica, Il Mulino, Bologna.
- Barca S. (2024), Forze di riproduzione, Edizioni ambiente. (English edition available)
Third part (only for 9cfu exam)
One book of the following:
- Bini V. (ed) (2020), Africa: la natura contesa. Ecologia politica a Sud del Sahara, Edizioni Ambiente. https://freebook.edizioniambiente.it/libro/133/Africa_la_natura_contesa
- Martinez Alier J. (2009), Ecologia dei poveri, Jaca Book. English version available
- Geography Notebooks, Special issue "I territori dell'ecologia politica" (2020). https://www.ledonline.it/index.php/Geography-Notebooks/issue/view/131/showToc
- Albertazzi S., Bini V., Trivellini G. (in press), Forest and Communities. Deforestation, Conservation and Socio-Ecological Relations in the Mau Forest (Kenya), Milano University Press.
- Raworth K. (2017), L'economia della ciambella, Edizioni Ambiente. (English edition available)
Students who want to take the exam for 12 CFU are requested to contact the teacher
Assessment methods and Criteria
The oral exam aims to evaluate the knowledge of the program's topics, the clarity in the presentation of complex processes and the ability to critically interpret the topics presented.
The course includes a section of class room work that, if actively done, can substitute for part of the exam program.
The course includes a section of class room work that, if actively done, can substitute for part of the exam program.
Modules or teaching units
Unita' didattica A
M-GGR/01 - GEOGRAPHY - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Unita' didattica B
M-GGR/01 - GEOGRAPHY - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Unita' didattica C
M-GGR/01 - GEOGRAPHY - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Professor(s)