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ALTERNATIVE ECONOMIES AND SUSTAINABILITY MODELS

Guido Gabriele CAVALCA ALTERNATIVE ECONOMIES AND SUSTAINABILITY MODELS

0322900100
DIPARTIMENTO DI STUDI POLITICI E SOCIALI
EQF7
SOCIOLOGY AND POLICY-MAKING FROM A TERRITORIAL PERSPECTIVE
2022/2023

OBBLIGATORIO
YEAR OF COURSE 2
YEAR OF DIDACTIC SYSTEM 2011
SPRING SEMESTER
CFUHOURSACTIVITY
640LESSONS
DAVIDE BUBBICO T Curriculum
GUIDO GABRIELE CAVALCA Curriculum
Objectives
WITHIN THE CAPITALIST ECONOMIC SYSTEM, EXPERIMENTS OF ALTERNATIVE ECONOMIC MODELS TO THOSE OF THE MARKET HAVE BEEN EMERGING IN RECENT YEARS THAT ARE NOT BASED EXCLUSIVELY OR SOLELY ON PROFIT OBJECTIVES. SUCH EXPERIENCES CAN BE SEEN AS ATTEMPTS TO COMBINE THE INTERESTS UNDERLYING THE TRADITIONAL BUSINESS LOGIC WITH THE SUSTAINABILITY OF CONTEMPORARY SOCIO-ECONOMIC SYSTEMS. IN OTHER CASES, THESE EXPERIMENTS AIM, INSTEAD, AT A MORE RADICAL OVERCOMING OF THE RESOURCE ALLOCATION MECHANISMS, PREFIGURING NEW SYSTEMS OF EXCHANGE IN THE ECONOMIC AND LABOR FIELD, WHICH ULTIMATELY REFER TO THE THEME OF SOCIO-ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY AS WELL AS A DEEPER CRITICISM OF THE MECHANISMS OF REPRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION OF THE CONTEMPORARY CAPITALISM.
THE COURSE AIMS TO OFFER THEORETICAL AND ANALYTICAL TOOLS THAT MAKE IT POSSIBLE TO RECONSTRUCT AND INTERPRET THE FRAMEWORK OF ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES, ORGANIZATIONS, ACTORS AND THE CONCRETE OPERATING CONDITIONS OF THESE MODELS IN THE LIGHT OF A DIFFERENT THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVE ON A SOCIOLOGICAL AND ECONOMIC LEVEL AND OF A CRITICAL READING OF THE CURRENT DEVELOPMENT MODEL. IN THIS PANORAMA, CONCEPTS SUCH AS THOSE OF CIVIL ECONOMY, SOLIDARITY ECONOMY, CIRCULAR ECONOMY OR VALUE ECONOMY HAVE THUS ESTABLISHED THEMSELVES IN RECENT YEARS.
THE COURSE INCLUDES THE USE OF THE ANALYSIS OF BOTH NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL CASE STUDIES, WITH PARTICULAR REGARD TO ALTERNATIVE EXPERIENCES IN THE FIELD OF PRODUCTION, DISTRIBUTION AND CONSUMPTION AND TO THE MORE AMBITIOUS SELF-MANAGEMENT WHICH ALSO PREFIGURE A DIFFERENT BUSINESS MANAGEMENT MODEL FROM THE POINT OF VIEW FROM A LEGAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL POINT OF VIEW.

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING

- KNOWLEDGE OF THE MAIN ECONOMIC THEORIES ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH, OF ALTERNATIVE HISTORICAL MODELS AND OF THE CRITICAL LITERATURE ON CAPITALIST DEVELOPMENT MODELS;
- UNDERSTANDING THE MEANING OF SUSTAINABILITY IN RELATION TO THE IMPACTS OF ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES ON THE HUMAN ECOSYSTEM GENERALLY UNDERSTOOD (NATURE, POPULATION, DISTRIBUTION OF WEALTH);
- KNOWLEDGE OF THE MAIN CONTEMPORARY ECONOMIC THEORIES ALTERNATIVE TO CAPITALISM.

ABILITY TO APPLY KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING

- ABILITY TO DESCRIBE THE RANGE AND THE DIFFUSION OF ALTERNATIVE DEVELOPMENT MODELS;
- ABILITY TO EVALUATE SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAMS ON A TERRITORIAL BASIS;
- ABILITY TO ASSESS THE IMPACT OF INSTITUTIONAL OR ALTERNATIVE ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES ON SPECIFIC AREAS (POPULATION, NATURE, DISTRIBUTION MECHANISMS, REGULATORY SOURCES, LABOR LAW, ETC.);
- ABILITY TO ASSESS THE ACTUAL SIZE AND IMPACT OF ALTERNATIVE PRODUCTION, CONSUMPTION AND WORK ORGANIZATION PRACTICES (ALSO THROUGH THE
IDENTIFICATION AND CONSULTATION OF SOURCES).

AUTONOMY OF JUDGMENT

STUDENT WILL BE ABLE TO INDEPENDENTLY EVALUATE:
- THE ACTUAL SIZE OF MARKET ECONOMIES, THE INNOVATIVE CAPACITY OF CRITICAL THEORIES AND THE LIMITS OF ALTERNATIVE MODELS OF ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES;
- THE CONDITIONS THAT LEAD TO THE EXPERIMENTATION / INTEGRATION OF ALTERNATIVE PROCESSES OF PRODUCTION, CONSUMPTION AND LABOUR IN THE CONTEXT OF MARKET ECONOMIES AND TO THEIR SUCCESS.
Prerequisites
THE COURSE REQUIRES A GOOD KNOWLEDGE OF THE MAIN TOPICS OF POLITICAL ECONOMY AND ECONOMIC SOCIOLOGY ACQUIRED DURING THE THREE-YEAR DEGREE. THERE IS NO FORMAL PREREQUISITE.
Contents
THE TEACHING PROGRAM PROVIDES FOR 3 PARTS (MODULI) DEDICATED TO SPECIFIC ASPECTS OF THE TOPIC. LESSONS AND SEMINARS WILL BE GIVEN BY PROF. BUBBICO AND PROF. CAVALCA (20 HOURS EACH).
THE FIRST PART (ECONOMIC THEORY AND CRITICAL THEORIES, 10 HOURS) PROVIDES FOR THE LEARNING OF THE MAIN ECONOMIC THEORIES ON THE FUNCTIONING AND DEVELOPMENT OF CAPITALISM AND ON THE CRITICAL THEORIES OF THE SYSTEM THAT HAVE ALTERNATED OVER TIME. THE FIRST PART ALSO AIMS TO PROVIDE A SYNAESTHETIC PICTURE OF THE MAIN CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ECONOMIC MODELS EXISTING WORLDWIDE.
IN THE SECOND PART (ECONOMIC ACTION IN THE LIGHT OF SUSTAINABILITY MODELS, 16 HOURS) THE THEME OF SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS ANALYZED FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF THE CONCEPT OF SUSTAINABILITY, CONSIDERED AS A MODEL OF REFORM OF THE CAPITALIST SYSTEM, AND OF INSTITUTIONAL ACTIONS AIMED AT DIRECTING PRIVATE COMPANIES TOWARDS DEVELOPMENT MODELS WITH LESS OR NO ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT, SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE, RESPECTFUL OF EMPLOYMENT REGULATIONS.
THE THIRD AND LAST MODULE (ALTERNATIVE ECONOMIC EXPERIENCES BETWEEN MARKET AND MUTUALISM, 14 HOURS) AIMS TO BRING TO THE ATTENTION THE CONCRETE EXPERIENCES THAT IN RECENT DECADES HAVE DETERMINED THE BIRTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF BOTH COMPANIES APPLYING ALTERNATIVE MANAGEMENT MODELS, AND OF COMPANIES SUPPORTING ETHICAL SUPPLY CHAINS, FROM PRODUCTION TO THE SALE OF PRODUCTS OR THE PROVISION OF SERVICES.

PART 1 - ECONOMIC THEORY AND CRITICAL THEORIES

TOPIC 1: ECONOMIC THEORY AND ECONOMICS OF DEVELOPMENT (2 HOURS LESSON)
TOPIC 2: COMPARING ECONOMIC MODELS AND GLOBAL VALUE CHAINS (2 HOURS LESSON)
TOPIC 3: ECONOMIC MODELS AND SOCIAL MODELS: STATE INTERVENTION IN WESTERN CAPITALIST COUNTRIES (2 HOURS LESSON)
TOPIC 4: ECONOMIC POLICIES AND DEVELOPMENT POLICIES IN ITALY AND IN EUROPEAN PROGRAMMING (2 HOURS LESSON)
TOPIC 5: ECONOMIC MODELS AND SOCIAL INEQUALITIES, SOCIAL MOVEMENTS AND CRITIQUE OF DEVELOPMENT MODELS (2 HOURS SEMINAR)

MODULE 2 - ECONOMIC ACTION AND SUSTAINABILITY MODELS

TOPIC 1: LIMITS AND MEANINGS OF THE CONCEPT OF SUSTAINABILITY (2 HOURS LESSON)
TOPIC 2: SUSTAINABILITY REPORTS AND OTHER SOURCES FOR MEASURING SUSTAINABILITY MODELS (WORKSHOP FOR 2 HOURS)
TOPIC 3: SOCIAL AND SOLIDARITY ECONOMY (2 HOURS LESSON)
TOPIC 4 CIVIL ECONOMY AND CIRCULAR ECONOMY (2 HOURS LESSON)
TOPIC 5 FUNDAMENTAL ECONOMICS (2 HOURS SEMINAR)
TOPIC 6: BIO-ECONOMICS AND LIBERTARIAN APPROACHES (2 HOURS LESSON)
TOPIC 7: FORMS OF BUSINESS AND CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY (2 HOURS LESSON)
TOPIC 8: THE CASE OF RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES (2 HOURS SEMINAR)

PART 3 - THE ALTERNATIVE ECONOMIC EXPERIENCES BETWEEN MARKET AND MUTUALISTIC ACTIVITIES

TOPIC 1: "OFF-MARKET" ACTIVITIES, SUBJECTS, MOTIVATIONS AND INSTITUTIONAL RECOGNITION (2 HOURS LESSON)
TOPIC 2: THE CASE OF AGRI-FOOD PRODUCTION, ETHICAL SUPPLY CHAINS AND BRANDS OF SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY (2 HOURS LESSON)
TOPIC 3: FAIR TRADE AND INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION (2 HOURS LESSON)
TOPIC 4: COOPERATIVE FORMS OF WORK ORGANIZATION (2 HOURS LESSON)
TOPIC 5: SOLIDARITY BUYING GROUPS (2 HOURS SEMINAR)
TOPIC 6: THE CASE OF THE RECOVERED FACTORIES (2 HOURS SEMINAR)
TOPIC 7: THE CASE OF THE SEM TERRA MOVEMENT (2 HOURS SEMINAR)
Teaching Methods
THE COURSE IS DIVIDED INTO LECTURES (30 HOURS) AND SEMINARS (10). LECTURES WILL ALLOW THE STUDENT TO ACQUIRE THE BASIC KNOWLEDGE AND PART OF THOSE REPORTED IN THE TEXTS INDICATED FOR THE SUPPORT OF THE FINAL EXAM. SEMINARS AIM AT SPECIFIC STUDY ON SOME TOPICS OF PARTICULAR RELEVANCE, ARE BASED ON THE READING OF TEXTS PROVIDED BY TEACHERS, AND HAVE THE PURPOSE OF FAVORING THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ABILITY TO APPLY TEACHING CONTENTS TO THE ANALYSIS OF CONCRETE CASES.
ATTENDANCE AT LESSONS/SEMINARS IS NOT COMPULSORY, BUT STRONGLY RECOMMENDED.
Verification of learning
THE FINAL EVALUATION CONSISTS OF A WRITTEN TEST AND AN ORAL EXAM. IN THE WRITTEN TEST, STUDENTS WILL BE INVITED TO EXPOSE THE MAIN TEACHING TOPICS AND THE MAIN CRITICAL ISSUES HIGHLIGHTED BY THE SCIENTIFIC LITERATURE ON THE SUBJECT, AS WELL AS TO INDICATE THE MOST RECENT TRENDS IN THE SOCIO-INSTITUTIONAL FIELD. THE WRITTEN TEST LASTING 2 HOURS CONSISTS IN THE COMPILATION OF A PAPER TO VERIFY STUDENTS’ KNOWLEDGE OF BOTH THEORETICAL TOPICS AND PRACTICAL EXAMPLES. THE WRITTEN TEST REFERS TO THE MAIN THEORETICAL CONTENTS AND ASSOCIATED CRITICAL LITERATURE.
THE ORAL EXAM (LASTING 30 MINUTES) CONSISTS OF A DISCUSSION ON THE PAPER (IN PARTICULAR ON THE WEAKEST OR MISSING PARTS) AND ON THE DISCUSSION OF CONCRETE CASES WITH REFERENCE TO THE SEMINARS. THE ORAL EXAM AIMS AT VERIFYING ALSO STUDENT'S EXPOSITORY ABILITY AND ARGUMENTATIVE ABILITY. THE ORAL EXAM WILL BE ACCESSIBLE TO ALL STUDENTS REGARDLESS OF THE SCORE ATTRIBUTED TO THE WRITTEN TEST.
THE MINIMUM MARK IN THE ORAL EXAM INCLUDES KNOWLEDGE OF THE THEMES OF ECONOMIC THEORY AND SOCIOLOGY OF DEVELOPMENT. THE MAXIMUM MARK IS ACHIEVED WHEN THE STUDENT DEMONSTRATES THAT HE IS ABLE TO CORRECTLY ILLUSTRATE AND DISCUSS THE TOPICS LISTED IN THE FIRST AND SECOND MODULES OF THE TEACHING, AND THE PRESENTATION OF AT LEAST ONE OF THE EXPERIENCES REFERRED TO IN THE THIRD. THE ‘EXCELLENCE’ MARK REQUIRES ACHIEVING THE MAXIMUM SCORE IN ALL TESTS AND DEMONSTRATING A GOOD CRITICAL AND ILLUSTRATIVE ABILITY OF THE MAIN CONTEMPORARY TRENDS IN THE SUBJECT.
THE FINAL MARK (WRITTEN AND ORAL EXAM) DEPENDS ON THE DEGREE OF PAPER’S DEPTH AND ACCURACY AND ON STUDENT'S ABILITY TO EFFECTIVELY PRESENT COURSE CONTENTS AND CRITICALLY DISCUSS THE TOPICS ILLUSTRATED.
Texts
MAIN TEXTS:

MARIO SALOMONE, 2014, AL VERDE! LA SFIDA DELL’ECONOMIA ECOLOGICA, CAROCCI.
BERTELL L., DERIU M., DE VITA A., GOSETTI G., 2013, DAVIDE E GOLIA. LA PRIMAVERA DELLE ECONOMIE DIVERSE, JACA BOOK (A SELECTION)

FOR THE IN-DEPTH PART ON ALTERNATIVE ECONOMY EXPERIENCES (MODULE 3) ONE TO BE CHOSEN FROM:

SEMENZIN M., 2019, LE FABBRICHE DELLA COOPERAZIONE, OMBRE CORTE.
MARCHETTI A., 2022, IL MOVIMENTO BRASILIANO SEM TERRA UNA LUNGA LOTTA CONTADINA CONTRO IL LATIFONDO E LE MULTINAZIONALI, CAROCCI.

OTHER TEXTS:
AA.VV., 2022, PLURIVERSO. DIZIONARIO DEL POST-SVILUPPO, ORTHOTES EDITRICE (A CURA DI BENEGIAMO M., DAL GOBBO A., LEONARDI E., TORRE S.).
CHIAPPERO-MARTINETTI E., 2022, LA SFIDA DELL'UGUAGLIANZA. DEMOCRAZIA ECONOMICA E FUTURO DEL CAPITALISMO, FONDAZIONE GIANGIACOMO FELTRINELLI.
More Information
PROF. BUBBICO OFFICE HOURS: WEDNESDAYS 10:00-12:00AM
PROF. CAVALCA OFFICE HOURS: WEDNESDAYS 10:30-12:30AM
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