Society, Territory and Environment in Catalonia
Code: 104245 ECTS Credits: 6| Degree | Type | Year | Semester |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2503710 Geography, Environmental Management and Spatial Planning | OB | 2 | 2 |
Contact
- Name:
- Ricard Moren Alegret
- Email:
- ricard.moren@uab.cat
Use of Languages
- Principal working language:
- catalan (cat)
- Some groups entirely in English:
- No
- Some groups entirely in Catalan:
- Yes
- Some groups entirely in Spanish:
- No
Other comments on languages
Reading materials can be recommended in Catalan, Spanish and English languagesTeachers
- Francesc Romagosa Casals
Prerequisites
Without prerequisites
Objectives and Contextualisation
The aim of this subject is to discuss different ways of understanding the relationship between human society, territory and environment in Catalonia through a variety of cartographic, textual and audio-visual interpretations. Through the observation and analysis of this geographical documentation, we propose to:
- develop scientific and constructive critical reasoning in relation to the territory of Catalonia;
- analyse some interrelations between the physical environment and human society in Catalonia;
- interpret some territorial distributions of people, activities and flows generated in Catalonia;
- assess the conditioning factors, impacts and environmental risks that derive from the relations between society and the environment in Catalonia;
- obtain a direct knowledge of some parts of Catalonia thanks to field trips;
- initiate and deepen the knowledge of some basic texts on the geography of Catalonia
- know some relevant maps and significant Earth observation images of the territory of Catalonia as well as audio-visual products.
For this subject, it is advisable to bear in mind the knowledge of all the compulsory subjects of the degree of Geography, Environment and Territorial Planning taken during the first academiic year and the first term of the second year.
Competences
- Analyse and understand geographical dynamics (sociodemographics, geo-economics and environmental) on different territorial scales.
- Critically analyse the relationship between society and the region applying the conceptual and theoretical framework of geography.
- Students must be capable of collecting and interpreting relevant data (usually within their area of study) in order to make statements that reflect social, scientific or ethical relevant issues.
- Students must have and understand knowledge of an area of study built on the basis of general secondary education, and while it relies on some advanced textbooks it also includes some aspects coming from the forefront of its field of study.
- Systematically analyse and interpret environmental, demographic, urban and landscape elements.
- Use the scientific and professional language of the social sciences.
Learning Outcomes
- Analyse the relationship between the physical environment and society in Catalonia.
- Explain the common and distinctive elements of cities in different regional areas of the world.
- Integrate the analysis of cities in the scales of population agglomerations.
- Interpret the distribution of people and activity in the region and the flows they generate.
- Relate regional dynamics of Catalonia in their broader territorial contexts.
- Students must be capable of collecting and interpreting relevant data (usually within their area of study) in order to make statements that reflect social, scientific or ethical relevant issues.
- Students must have and understand knowledge of an area of study built on the basis of general secondary education, and while it relies on some advanced textbooks it also includes some aspects coming from the forefront of its field of study.
- Understand and use the main statistical data bases of Catalonia.
- Use the scientific and professional language of the social sciences.
Content
- The geographical context of Catalonia. The territorial organization of Catalonia
- The physical and environmental framework: relief and hydrography, climate and landscape, natural risks, protected areas
- Human population evolution: demo-geographic dynamics and structures. Migration
- Human settlements and the urban system
- Rural and semi-rural Catalonia: from the Mediterranean tradition and agro-industry to current innovations
- The industrialisation and re-industrialisation of Catalonia: territorial origins, changes and permanences
- Tourism and its impact on the territory
- Territorial and environmental conflicts, negotiations and pacts
Methodology
The contents of the subject will be developed through the following main activities:
- Follow-up of the topics tackled during the course
- Reading books and articles
- Practical exercises that, in a way or another, can become milestones for the writing up of an exploratory geographical essay on a place in Catalonia
- Fieldwork visits, campus visits and the corresponding reports
- Forums
Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.
Activities
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type: Directed | |||
| Face-to-face lectures, in the classroom or outdoor in campus areas | 39 | 1.56 | 1, 8, 4, 7, 6, 5, 9 |
| Field trips | 8 | 0.32 | 1, 8, 4, 7, 6, 5, 9 |
| Type: Supervised | |||
| Tutorials | 5 | 0.2 | 1, 8, 4, 7, 6, 5, 9 |
| Type: Autonomous | |||
| Autonomous work | 50 | 2 | 1, 8, 4, 7, 6, 5, 9 |
| Study | 45 | 1.8 | 1, 8, 4, 7, 6, 5, 9 |
Assessment
The follow-up of the development of the course gives rise to the continuous evaluation. The lecturers will appreciate its normal and gradual use in three aspects. Firstly (1), for the ability of students to improve quality in carrying out the exercises proposed in the classes (students must correctly quote and cite all data and information sources). Secondly (2), for their participation in the exercises and fieldwork (this is a 100% on-site course). And thirdly (3), for the results of the written exams. In the three aspects, lecturers will appreciate the students' correct comunication and linguistic skills, see: https://wuster.uab.es/web_argumenta_obert/
The student will have a ‘not assessed’ as a final grade if s/he hands in 0% of the course tasks. In other words, if the student does more than a 0% of the tasks s/he will be assessed. When evaluation activities take place, lecturers will inform students (via Moodle) of the possible procedures to be followed for reviewing all grades awarded, and the date on which such a review will take place.
Reassessment will be offered to those students who did a continuous and on-site course and failed the exams with at least a 4/10 mark. If that mark is not reached, students must repeat the written exam in the official re-assessment date. Only written exams can be re-assessed.
Attention: In the event of a student committing any irregularity that may lead to a significant variation in the grade awarded to an assessment activity (e.g. copy or plagiarism), the student will be given a zero for this activity, regardless of any disciplinary process that may take place. In the event of several irregularities in assessment activities of the same subject, the student will be given a zero as the final grade for this subject.
Assessment Activities
| Title | Weighting | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exercices and practical assignments | 40 % | 0 | 0 | 1, 8, 2, 3, 4, 7, 6, 5, 9 |
| Fieldwork report | 20 % | 0 | 0 | 1, 8, 4, 7, 6, 5, 9 |
| Written exam on site | 40 % | 3 | 0.12 | 1, 8, 4, 7, 6, 5, 9 |
Bibliography
AGÈNCIA CATALANA DE L’AIGUA (2005). Caracterització de masses d’aigua i anàlisi del risc d’incompliment de la Directiva Marc de l’Aigua (2000/60/CE) a Catalunya. Barcelona: Generalitat de Catalunya.
AGÈNCIA CATALANA DE L’AIGUA (2022). Aigua. https://aca.gencat.cat/ca/laigua/
ALDOMÀ, Ignasi (dir.) (2015). Atles de la Nova Ruralitat. Lleida: Fundació del Món Rural. Vegeu també dades a l'Observatori del Món Rural (2020): http://agricultura.gencat.cat/web/.content/de_departament/de02_estadistiques_observatoris/27_butlletins/01_butlletins_ne/enllacos_ne/2020/enllacos-0592-2020/ObservMonRural-desembre-de-2020.pdf
ALDOMÀ, Ignasi; MÒDOL, Josep Ramon (2022). Atles del Món Rural 2022: Despoblament o revitalització? Lleida: ARCA, ACM, FTBGL , AMC i UdL (https://www.acm.cat/sites/default/files/publicacions/fitxers/acm_atles_mon_rural_2022_interactiu_0.pdf)
AMBATLLE, Fina i altres (2018). Mengem futur. Per un sistema alimentari productiu, sostenible, resilient, saludable, responsable i d'accés universal a Catalunya. Barcelona: Consell Assessor per al Desenvolupament Sostenible de Catalunya (CADS): http://cads.gencat.cat/web/.content/Documents/Informes/2018/180322_Informe-sistema-alimentari-de-Catalunya_Informe-complert_vf.pdf .
BURGUEÑO, Jesús (Ed.) (2021). La nova geografia de la Catalunya postcovid. Barcelona: Societat Catalana de Geografia.
CAMPILLO, Xavier; FONT, Xavier (2004). Avaluació de la sostenibilitat del turisme a l’Alt Pirineu i Aran. Barcelona: Generalitat de Catalunya.
DOMÈNECH, Antoni; GUTIÉRREZ, Aaron (2018). Paisatges després de la batalla: Geografíes de la crisi immobiliària. Barcelona: Societat Catalana de Geografia, IEC.
FOLCH, Ramon i altres (Coords.) (2019). Natura, ús o abús. Barcelona: Institució Catalana d’Història Natural. Vegeu: https://natura.llocs.iec.cat/
LÓPEZ, Francesc (dir.) (2009). Atles del turisme de Catalunya. Mapa Nacional de l’oferta i els productes turístics. Barcelona: Generalitat de Catalunya. http://www.atlesturismecatalunya.cat/
MAJORAL, Roser (Coord.) (2002). Cataluña: un análisis territorial. Barcelona: Ariel.
NEL·LO, Oriol (Ed.) (2003). Aquí, no! Els conflictes territorials a Catalunya. Barcelona: Empúries.
NOGUÉ, Joan (2010). Paisatge, territori i societat civil. València: Tres i Quatre.
OBSERVATORI DEL PAISATGE (2022). Catàlegs de paisatge. Barcelona: Generalitat de Catalunya: http://www.catpaisatge.net/cat/catalegs.php
SOLÉ i SABARÍS, Lluís (Dir.) (1958). Geografia de Catalunya, Vol. 1. Barcelona: Ed. Aedos.
VILA, Marc-Aureli (1998). Catalunya: Rius i poblament. Barcelona: Publicacions de l'Abadia de Montserrat.
The full bibliography of the subject will be introduced at the beginning of the second term.
Some geographical journals including a variety of articles on Catalonia:
*Documents d'Anàlisi Geogràfica: https://dag.revista.uab.es/
*Treballs de la Societat Catalana de Geografia: https://raco.cat/index.php/TreballsSCGeografia/index
*Boletín de la Asociación Española de Geografía: https://bage.age-geografia.es/ojs//index.php/bage/index
Software
The usual computer programmes that will be used during this course will be Word, Excel, PDF and Power Point as well as the on-line platform Moodle and, if necessary, TEAMS. In addition, in some activities, social networks like Twitter can be used too.