HISTORY OF EXPLORATIONS AND TRAVEL

This course is a 6 cfu didactic module, with common learning outcomes that can be shared with the students from others Courses (FM10 and FM4). The teaching programme is focused on the methodology to deal with the history of the geographical discoveries and knowledge of non-European continents, taking into account both geo-historical and social-economic aspects. Special attention will be paid to documental sources, both written texts and iconography.

The instructional goal of the course is that of developing knowledge about:
- the relevance of the documentary sources and travelogues as foundational tools to better face with the interpretation of the geographical discoveries.
- the concept of "Everyday Exoticism" as interpretative approach of the innermost motivations concerning the past explorers undertakings.

The achievement of specific practical and applied skills will concern:
- the assessment of the role of maritime navigation as essential strategy to achieve political, cultural and economic expansion.
- the understanding of the effects of the geographical discoveries as exchange and struggle between different cultures, with special regards to the increasing knowledge of the Americas.
- the proper use of global database to collect information in order to develop autonomously a written paper.

Basic knowledge of concepts and terms of human geography and elemental information on global climatic zones.
Students are besides required a basic knowledge of the role of travelogues and an elemental know-how on digital tools for remote sensing, such as Google Earth, Maps etc.

The history of geographical explorations and the relationships between geopolitical and cultural impacts will be considered.
Particular attention will be paid to the effects of geographic explorations in the Americas during the early modern age. Other thematic content will deaal with the role of Geographical Societies as an instrument of affirmation of Nationalisms between the 19th and 20th centuries. It follows that the case study of the exploration of Australian outback in the early twentieth century will allow to verify the relationships between political rhetoric and objectivity of environmental data.
Finally, the potentialities of ecotourism will be analyzed as an opportunity to reactivate the exploratory dynamics within the postmodern perceptions of the geographies of globalization.

1) Lectures notes

2) Massimo DONATTINI, Dal Nuovo Mondo all'America. Scoperte geografiche e colonialismo (secoli XV - XVI), Roma, Carocci, 2005 (e successive ristampe).

3) Francesco VALLERANI, L'outback australiano: da terra incognita al mito della frontiera. In cerca della mitica Terra Australis in GEOSTORIE, vol. 3, pp. 171-198

4) More texts will be indicated at the beginning of the course and all of them will be available as pdf on the moodle platform .

5) For not attending students will be available lecture notes on the Moodle Platform.

The exam will be planned according to the health situation. More details will be provided later.

According to the health situation in 2022, teaching should be held in presence.

Italian

written and oral

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