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To comprehend the fundamental characteristics of a geographical approach to development: 1. To identify the main areas of geographic imagination, characterize their relationship with the different domains of development phenomena and with the different epistemological foundations of research. 2. To critically comprehend the fundamental importance of scale in the geographical approach to development phenomena. To comprehend the fundamental characteristics of geographic fieldwork in the context of development and to design an exemplar of research

By understanding the fundamental characteristics of a geographical approach to development students are able to: a) identify the main spheres of geographical imagination (the related notions of 'space and power', 'landscape and representation' and 'place and practice' ) and to relate them to the different epistemological foundations (analytical empiricism, hermeneutic historicism, critical participation) of research in Development Geography; b) fully aprehend the critical and functional capacity of the need to 'unfold' a multi (or trans) scalar investigation ('global', 'regional' and 'local' scales as concretions of an incidible continuum), in order to include all significant scopes of a total social-environmental phenomenon (power and knowledge, trade flows and geopolitics of violence; environmental determinations, cultivation and subsistence, and production of nature; embodied relationships, assimilation and difference, and segregation devices). By understanding the fundamental characteristics of geographic fieldwork in the context of development - research objective and thoughtful choice of techniques; motivational stimuli and practical financing issues; behavior in the field, ethics and reciprocity with the community with which one interacts; and, finally, the writing as a form of representation - students are able to correctly design of a concrete exemplar of research.
The exposition, discussion and critical reading of bibliography within the scope of Geography of Development allows students to identify and understand the conceptual levels of a geographical approach, consolidating them through the iterative recoding of the formal elements that constitute the research and the critical mapping of significant scales. The exposition, discussion and critical reading of general bibliography and concrete examples of field research in the field of Geography of Development, allows students to identify the nature of the research and the rigorous characterization of the techniques most appropriate to aim the main objective. The (self) criticism of non- scientific stimuli (psychological, sociological, institutional ...) that guide the motivation of fieldwork, together with the identification of concrete funding avilability, allows students to fully understand the proper framework of a local activity research. The critical identification of ethical issues and reciprocity with the interaction community allows students to establish adequate standards of behavior in the field. By understanding all the implications of representing the interaction community students are able to properly structure the writing of a field research work.

I - Development: a geographical approach Exposition, discussion and critical reading of bibliography in the field of Development Geography Analysis of conceptual levels (organization of space and expressions of power, physiognomies of the landscape and mechanisms of representation, experiences of places and establishment of practices - of a geographical approach and its relationship with differentiated epistemological foundations - analytical empiricism, hermeneutical historicism, critical participation - scientific practice. Iterative recoding of the formal elements that make up research in Development Geography: theory and object of research, methods and specific objectives of research; information collection techniques; analytical characterization and synthetic treatment of information, validation and refutation mechanisms.  Critical mapping of the significant scales (global, regional, local) of the expression of a development phenomenon.  Assessment: Elaboration of a ‘report of critical reading of bibliography within the scope of Geography of Development’, with sequential delivery of components; ‘viva voce’ presentation and discussion (60%).
II - Fieldwork (succinct characterization) Exposition, discussion and critical reading of general bibliography and concrete examples of field research in the field of Development Geography  Identification of the nature of the research and the techniques appropriate to the main objective. (Self) critical characterization of the motivation of fieldwork and functional identification of funding Critical identification of appropriate patterns of behavior in the field, of correlative ethical issues and of reciprocity with the interaction community. Identification of the formal elements that make up the writing of a field research work, and understanding of all the implications of representing the interaction community. Assessment: Elaboration of a ‘planning of a field investigation within the scope of Geography of Development’, with sequential delivery of components; ‘viva voce’ presentation and discussion (40%).