English

The course examines the organization of spaces from the point of view of population (i.e. recognition of spatial patterns and dynamics, with population as the focus) and the relevance of the study of population dynamics with special reference to their spatial implications for development. Examples from both the developed and the developing world are be used to treat an introduction to population geography, data, spatial measures and mapping, population characteristics (such as age, sex, nuptiality, households, urban-rural patterns, and socio-economic), components of population change, population distribution, world population growth, and distribution.

This course provides the opportunity for students to engage critically with the philosophical literature on the concept of political liberty. Students read and discuss key texts in modern political philosophy, beginning with Thomas Hobbes's Leviathan. Students critically analyze the various ways in which liberty has been conceptualized by the most important political thinkers in the modern era.

The course is divided into two parts: (1) International trade and (2) International macroeconomics. In the first part, the course introduces a number of models that help us understand the reasons why countries trade goods and services. Empirical evidence is provided to highlight the strengths and limitations of the introduced theories. In the second part, the course explores topics linked to the global macroeconomy. It presents a framework to analyze how the interdependence among countries shapes their economy-wide variables and draws links between theory and real world events. 

This course covers the main issues at the root of most of the conflicts in Africa. It examines the conflicts and geopolitical dynamics that affect the Horn of Africa and identifies the historical, political, and military regional dynamics of these conflicts, as well as their broader international dimension. The course provides a critical analysis of Horn Africa's relations with the world as the new battle held between emerging powers such as the Gulf, BRICS, and traditional superpowers. It also provides a general overview of violent extremist groups and regional and international responses to the Global War on Terror. Finally, it discusses current wars as well as their strategic implications and connections to the most prominent global security challenges of the post-Cold War and post 9/11 world.

This is a graduate level course that is part of the Laurea Magistrale program. The course is intended for advanced level students only. Enrollment is by consent of the instructor. There are two versions of this course; this course, UCEAP Course Number 180B and Bologna course number 75074, is associated with the LM in Sociology and Social Work degree programme. The other version, UCEAP Course Number 180A and Bologna course number 81779, is associated with the LM in Language, Society, and Communication degree programme. The course focuses on different notions of globalization, and how information technologies affect everyday life, markets, and the process of consumption. Emphasis is placed on a sociological reading of globalization, i.e. understanding the internet culture and the relationship between globalization and web society. Students analyze the impact on individual behaviors and society at large within social networks and online communities through the mainstreaming of private information posted to the public sphere. The course addresses the emergence of a new rhetoric concerning democratization and participation in the web society, the changing relationship between producers, consumers, and prosumers in the web society and the consequences and effects of the Digital Divide nationally and worldwide.

This course introduces the scientific study of human language. Utilizing Andrew Radford’s An Introduction to English Sentence Structure (2009), the course provides a concise and clear introduction to current work in syntactic theory, drawing on the key concepts of Noam Chomsky's The Minimalist Program. By looking at data mainly from English, it also introduces students to a few linguistic mysteries found not only in present-day English but also in languages like Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Belfast English, Elizabethan English, etc.  

This course provides the opportunity to gain analytical skills which will be a solid foundation for conducting research in the following linguistics-related fields: child language, language acquisition, computational linguistics, machine translation, sign language, pidgin and creole, comparative linguistics, historical linguistics, language and thought, speech therapy, textbook writing, etc.  
 
A companion course (CO310) focuses on more traditional ideas of generative syntax, which forms a basis of the current theory. Students are encouraged to take this course as well. 

This course aims to provide a range of qualitative research tools to invoke different stories, views, voices, identities, embodimenets and experiences. We discuss the theory, methodology and foundation of non-textual research methods. These different methods are hoped to provoke a new way of thinking away from the Western canon, contribute to more democratic and just research settings, and open up possibilities for transforming social inequalities. Through readings, class discussions, lectures from invited guests, and practical exercises students will explore the potentials and challenges of various methods, identify opportunities to use them, and consider how to treat and deal with data that comes out of the use of creative methods. This course is suitable for anyone who would like to experience and learn more about alternative and/or complementary methods to existing qualitative approaches (i.e. focus groups, interviews). It is of advantage if participants have prior experience of and with qualitative research. Participants at the early, middle and final stages of a qualitative research project will benefit, but if possible, it is best to consider data collection and analysis at the proposal stage.

Amid political revolutions and widespread social movements, the interwar period in Europe (1918–39) witnessed a dramatic reinvention of the figure of the artist and a broad questioning of the role of art in everyday life. Centered around movements such as Dada, Constructivism, and De Stijl as well as institutions like the Bauhaus and Vkhutemas, these activities engaged directly with technological shifts and industrial production, generating new formats and avenues for artistic production (textiles, photomontage, graphic design, exhibition displays, and more). Surveying this rich field of experimentation, this seminar places special emphasis on the role of women and the productive breakdown of notions of art, craft, and design.

This course examines key features and processes of criminal justice institutions, crime justice policy and practice, and addresses contemporary debates about crime in relation to substantive areas, such as gender, race, ethnicity, and youth offending.