English

This course is part of the Laurea Magistrale degree program and is intended for advanced level students. Enrollment is by permission of the instructor. The course is focused on the effect of the synthesis of monomers and biopolymers on the environment, with a particular attention on their current and potential eco-sustainable developments and their effects on recyclability and biodegradability. At the end of the course the student has acquired important knowledge on the different types of biopolymers and their overall impact on the environment. The course is divided into 6 parts: Life without plastic; Polymers and green chemistry; Biopolymers chemistry; End of LIFE; Plastic pollution; Green polymers and Europe.

What makes a group of people feel like a nation? Who decides who belongs—and who doesn't? Why do national borders, myths, and identities still matter in a globalised world? This course explores how nations are formed, imagined, and contested—from ancient legends to modern passports, from cultural traditions to nationalist movements, and offers tools to understand how nations shape the world we live in.

This course examines the general environmental framework for international business studies by drawing on international and development economics, research into government-business relations and studies in comparative socio-cultural systems and political systems.

In this studio course, students acquire knowledge and hands-on experience at the intersection of cityscapes, artificial intelligence, and data-driven site analysis and urban design development methods. The lectures focus on the theoretical background of data metrics relevant to urban design. The hands-on sessions help students gain technical skills needed to apply the knowledge. Students apply the theories and skills to analyze the study site, extract current issues, and develop concepts and directions for design interventions. The goal is to acquire foundational knowledge on the theoretical basis, measurement methods, and limitations of key quantitative indicators related to urban design, and learn how to select indicators that align with the objectives of a design project. Students acquire skills in data acquisition and preprocessing; learn how to generate, post-process, and analyze indicators using various spatial data and artificial intelligence; and develop effective communication methods through visualization. Students also learn the process of applying data analysis techniques to the design site to assess current conditions, identify issues and challenges, and establish a foundation for developing planning concepts and alternatives.

This course examines the unique political economy of the United States in drawing primarily—but not exclusively—on comparative political economy (CPE) scholarship to explore how the American economy functions, how it compares to its (mainly European) peers, and why it remains so. The course consists of three interconnected main parts. The first part discusses the basic logic behind the comparative analysis of capitalism and trace the ideational roots of contemporary approaches in comparative political economy, providing a foundational understanding of key debates in CPE. The second and third part of the seminar are dedicated to the dominant theoretical frameworks for the comparative analysis of capitalism in the last decades, with a particular focus on the United States. By integrating theoretical perspectives with in-depth comparative analysis, this course equips students with the tools to critically assess the evolution of the American model of capitalism, engage critically with contemporary economic challenges, and understand how national political economies mediate and respond to the global forces shaping today’s capitalism.

This course introduces students to key topics, theories and methods in the field of social psychology. Social psychology is the scientific study of how individuals’ thoughts, feelings and behaviors are influenced by the actual or imagined presence of other people. This course covers such topics as attitudes, social influence, groups, prejudice, attraction, gender and altruism. The course critically evaluates seminal and contemporary studies in social psychology and considers the insights they offer into the psychological processes that underlie human relationships, culture and society.
 

This course covers algorithm design techniques and algorithm analysis techniques. It deals with inductive and recursive thinking through which problems can be tackled and solved. 

In the class, students learn organized and effective thinking methods for problem solving. Topics include analysis tools (asymptotic complexity, recurrence), sorting and selection, retrieval and insertion of data (search tree, hash table), dealing with sets, dynamic programming, graph algorithms, text pattern matching, limit of computation (NP-Completeness), problem space, etc. 

Prerequisite: Data Structure. Students should also be familiar with the basics of discrete mathematics and probability. 

This module explores the role of powerbrokers and stakeholders in the shaping of the sexual politics of modern Ireland. It asks questions about how power was mediated and framed in modern Ireland and why ideas of sex and morality were important. It examines the role of key players, such as the state, the law, the churches/voluntary organizations, campaigners and the media. Central questions considered are: How did concepts regarding sex inform ideas of citizenship in Ireland? How did legislation shape people’s sexual relationships and sexual lives? What role did the churches play in the contemporary framing of sexual relationships? How did ideas about sex inform health and welfare policies? How did the law reinforce certain beliefs about sex and sexuality? How and why did a particular narrative about Irish sexual cultural as pathological and harmful emerge? Can we identify key moments of change in the sexual politics of twentieth-century Ireland?

This course develops English language skills to an advanced level through reading and critical interpretation of English literature. Students read, discuss, and write about selected well-known literary fiction in English literature, ranging from traditional canonical works to contemporary science fiction. The focus of the course is to introduce essential themes as well as elements of literary form and technique, while developing the analytical skills necessary to produce sophisticated interpretations of texts. Critical reading involves reading actively and reflectively, and being able to understand, analyze, interpret, and communicate intelligently about literary works. Through a broad study of various texts, this course supports both language development and growth in critical thinking. 

This course examines the way that models of inheritance have impacted upon politics and society over the last two hundred years. It covers the disturbing biopolitical history of genetics right up to the present day, unpacking the relationship between science and politics whenever the idea of breeding better humans has been mooted.