A geographical issue: the contribution of Citizenship Education to the building of a European citizenship. The case of the VOICEs Comenius network

Citizenship Education is currently a consolidated issue within several European curricula. It has been integrated in national educational laws in different ways: as cross-curricular education (UK, Italy), as a subject (France, Spain) or as a skill (Ireland). Despite these differences, there is a common agreement on the ethical value of Citizenship Education and on its main aim: to foster students’ sense of local, national and European citizenship. In some ways this goal has been inspired by Morin’s path to a “plural” education and a planetary citizenship (Morin, 2000). Social sciences, and in particular Geography and History, keep the function of giving tools able to show how a dialogue among the different scales is possible. Nevertheless European citizenship is undergoing a constant redefinition due to the European enlargement process, the role of Europe inside national jurisdictions and to the changes in national curricula. This evolution directly affects the guiding function conferred to school in terms of skills, aims and themes; therefore competences and methods adopted by teachers may have to be reconsidered. This essay presents the first results of the updating of the state of the art of this issue that has been carried out by the Citizenship Education Research Group of the VOICEs Comenius network (The Voice of European Teachers). The main aim of this international research group is to face the challenge of building a European citizenship by developing a comparative analysis of teachers’ practices and strategies in different local, regional and national contexts, aiming to contribute, with renewed ideas, to the debate on this promising field of research

International actors as policymakers? Discussing the influence of international actors on the environmental policies of small island states

The environmental discourse on small island states is structured around a set of geographical categories. Among these, the category of smallness reflects the assumption that such spaces are vulnerable on account of their reduced size, reinforcing an image of islands as ‘prone’ to environmental threats and in need of ‘external support’. Such support is often provided by international actors, specifically international agencies, NGOs and sponsors, who consequently influence domestic policymaking processes. This paper offers a theoretical discussion of this influence in relation to environmental policies, drawing on concepts from the fields of international studies, development studies and island studies. I argue that the influence of international actors may be viewed as a form of leadership that is legitimised by the narrative of island vulnerability, the development paradigm, the authority attributed to reports and rankings, the symbolic functioning of global environmental threats and the overuse of geographical categories such as ‘small’ or ‘developing’. In the second part of the paper, I propose four research questions for future studies on the political outputs of this influence in the Republic of Maldives: an icon of the environmental challenges threatening small island states.peer-reviewe

La contribución de la geografía de los niños y de las niñas a la enseñanza de la geografía

Una de las principales aportaciones de las geografías de los niños y de las niñas a la disciplina geográfica ha sido su inclusión como actores de creación o producción de espacio, ya que lo utilizan y lo viven según sus necesidades y sus criterios, y lo hacen de forma legítima. La escuela debe, por tanto, beneficiarse de este conocimiento y conectarlo con la manera de enseñar la geografía, para que, así, el alumnado comprenda mejor el uso que realizan del espacio. El objetivo del presente artículo es conectar estos dos ámbitos que han permanecido distantes y, para ello, se aporta una propuesta acerca de cómo las geografías de los niños y de las niñas puede incorporarse a la enseñanza de la geografía a partir de los cuatro aspectos principales siguientes: considerar que los niños y las niñas son actores socioespaciales, tener en cuenta el modo cómo se lleva a cabo la apropiación del espacio en la infancia, atender a las primeras representaciones de la experiencia espacial y conocer cómo son los lugares del alumnado que se educa.Una de les aportacions principals de les geografies dels nens i de les nenes a la disciplina geogràfica ha estat la inclusió dels infants com a actors de creació o producció d'espai, ja que l'utilitzen i el viuen segons les seves necessitats i els seus criteris, i ho fan de manera legítima. Per tant, l'escola ha de beneficiar-se d'aquest coneixement i connectar-lo amb la manera d'ensenyar geografia, perquè l'ús de l'espai per part de les criatures sigui més ben comprès per elles mateixes. L'objectiu del present article és connectar aquests dos àmbits que han caminat de manera paral·lela a partir de l'elaboració d'una proposta sobre com es poden acostar les geografies de la infància a la didàctica de la geografia, per tal que aquesta última incorpori la recerca i la conceptualització produïda per la primera. Els quatre pilars d'aquest model són: considerar que els nens i les nenes són agents socioespacials, tenir en compte la manera com es du a terme l'apropiació de l'espai a la infància, atendre les primeres representacions de l'experiència espacial i conèixer de quina manera són els llocs d'infància de l'alumnat que s'educa.L'une des principales contributions des géographies des enfants à la discipline de la géographie est l'inclusion des enfants en tant qu'agents créant de l'espace, car les enfants utilisent et produisent de l'espace aussi bien que les adultes. Nous considérons que les écoles devraient bénéficier de ces connaissances et les inclure dans l'enseignement de la géographie, afin que les enfants puissent mieux comprendre comment ils utilisent l'espace. L'objectif de cet article est de relier les disciplines des géographies des enfants et de l'éducation géographique afin d'enrichir cette dernière. Nous proposons un modèle pour le faire en fonction de quatre idées principales: les enfants doivent être considérés comme des acteurs sociaux produisant de l'espace ; il est important de savoir comment les enfants s'approprient leur espace et leurs lieux ; leur représentation spatiale des lieux et des espaces est essentielle, ainsi que l'étude des lieux des enfants.One of the contributions made by children's geographies to the field of geography is the inclusion of children as agents that create space, because children use and produce space as well as adults. We understand that schools should benefit from this knowledge and include it in the teaching of geography, so learners can better understand how they use space. The aim of this paper is to connect the fields of children's geographies and geography education in order to enrich the latter. To this end, we propose a model based on four main ideas: children must be considered as social actors that produce space; how children appropriate their space and places is relevant; studying children's spatial representation of places and spaces as well understanding children's places is essential

Use of the KlADH3 promoter for the quantitative production of the murine PDE5A isoforms in the yeast Kluyveromyces lactis

Background: Phosphodiesterases (PDE) are a superfamily of enzymes that hydrolyse cyclic nucleotides (cAMP/ cGMP), signal molecules in transduction pathways regulating crucial aspects of cell life. PDEs regulate the intensity and duration of the cyclic nucleotides signal modulating the downstream biological efect. Due to this critical role associated with the extensive distribution and multiplicity of isozymes, the 11 mammalian families (PDE1 to PDE11) constitute key therapeutic targets. PDE5, one of these cGMP-specifc hydrolysing families, is the molecular target of several well known drugs used to treat erectile dysfunction and pulmonary hypertension. Kluyveromyces lactis, one of the few yeasts capable of utilizing lactose, is an attractive host alternative to Saccharomyces cerevisiae for heterologous protein production. Here we established K. lactis as a powerful host for the quantitative production of the murine PDE5 isoforms. Results: Using the promoter of the highly expressed KlADH3 gene, multicopy plasmids were engineered to produce the native and recombinant Mus musculus PDE5 in K. lactis. Yeast cells produced large amounts of the purifed A1, A2 and A3 isoforms displaying Km, Vmax and Sildenafl inhibition values similar to those of the native murine enzymes. PDE5 whose yield was nearly 1 mg/g wet weight biomass for all three isozymes (30 mg/L culture), is well tolerated by K. lactis cells without major growth defciencies and interferences with the endogenous cAMP/cGMP signal transduction pathways. Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the frst time that the entire PDE5 isozymes family containing both regulatory and catalytic domains has been produced at high levels in a heterologous eukaryotic organism. K. lactis has been shown to be a very promising host platform for large scale production of mammalian PDEs for biochemical and structural studies and for the development of new specifc PDE inhibitors for therapeutic applications in many pathologies

Introduction. Perspectives on Nancy Fraser’s Thought: Philosophy, Feminism, Capitalism, and the Climate Crisis

Nancy Fraser is one of the most important intellectuals of our time. Philosopher, critical theorist of society, feminist theorist and activist: with her influential work from the 1980s until today Fraser has offered significant contributions in the fields of social and political theory, feminist theory, contemporary philosophy, and lately in the debates around the relation between climate change and capitalism. On the occasion of Fraser’s 75th birthday in 2022, and on that of the 10th and 20th anniversaries of the publication of two of her books in 2023 – respectively, Fortunes of Feminism (2013) and Redistribution or Recognition? (2003, co-authored with Axel Honneth) –, the monographic section of the present issue of “Scenari” aims to celebrate these anniversaries with selected contributions dedicated to the investigation of her work and thought. The contributions of our monographic issue let the disruptive potential of Fraser’s social, economic and political theory emerge, together with her capacity to unveil injustice and the hidden preconditions of a capitalist society. This is an approach and an impulse that mutatis mutandis has always been at the core of the philosophical and sociological tradition that, from Horkheimer and Adorno until today, we have all known as critical theory: a tradition to which also Nancy Fraser’s work coherently belongs and which Fraser has meritoriously enriched and further developed throughout her long career in original, stimulating and noteworthy ways, thus deserving to be celebrated as one of the philosophical masters of our time

The contribution of children’s geographies to geography education

Una de les aportacions principals de les geografies dels nens i de les nenes a la disciplina geogràfica ha estat la inclusió dels infants com a actors de creació o producció d’espai, ja que l’utilitzen i el viuen segons les seves necessitats i els seus criteris, i ho fan de manera legítima. Per tant, l’escola ha de beneficiar-se d’aquest coneixement i connectar-lo amb la manera d’ensenyar geografia, perquè l’ús de l’espai per part de les criatures sigui més ben comprès per elles mateixes. L’objectiu del present article és connectar aquests dos àmbits que han caminat de manera paral·lela a partir de l’elaboració d’una proposta sobre com es poden acostar les geografies de la infància a la didàctica de la geografia, per tal que aquesta última incorpori la recerca i la conceptualització produïda per la primera. Els quatre pilars d’aquest model són: considerar que els nens i les nenes són agents socioespacials, tenir en compte la manera com es du a terme l’apropiació de l’espai a la infància, atendre les primeres representacions de l’experiència espacial i conèixer de quina manera són els llocs d’infància de l’alumnat que s’educa.Una de las principales aportaciones de las geografías de los niños y de las niñas a la disciplina geográfica ha sido su inclusión como actores de creación o producción de espacio, ya que lo utilizan y lo viven según sus necesidades y sus criterios, y lo hacen de forma legítima. La escuela debe, por tanto, beneficiarse de este conocimiento y conectarlo con la manera de enseñar la geografía, para que, así, el alumnado comprenda mejor el uso que realizan del espacio. El objetivo del presente artículo es conectar estos dos ámbitos que han permanecido distantes y, para ello, se aporta una propuesta acerca de cómo las geografías de los niños y de las niñas puede incorporarse a la enseñanza de la geografía a partir de los cuatro aspectos principales siguientes: considerar que los niños y las niñas son actores socioespaciales, tener en cuenta el modo cómo se lleva a cabo la apropiación del espacio en la infancia, atender a las primeras representaciones de la experiencia espacial y conocer cómo son los lugares del alumnado que se educa.L’une des principales contributions des géographies des enfants à la discipline de la géographie est l’inclusion des enfants en tant qu’agents créant de l’espace, car les enfants utilisent et produisent de l’espace aussi bien que les adultes. Nous considérons que les écoles devraient bénéficier de ces connaissances et les inclure dans l’enseignement de la géographie, afin que les enfants puissent mieux comprendre comment ils utilisent l’espace. L’objectif de cet article est de relier les disciplines des géographies des enfants et de l’éducation géographique afin d’enrichir cette dernière. Nous proposons un modèle pour le faire en fonction de quatre idées principales: les enfants doivent être considérés comme des acteurs sociaux produisant de l’espace ; il est important de savoir comment les enfants s’approprient leur espace et leurs lieux ; leur représentation spatiale des lieux et des espaces est essentielle, ainsi que l’étude des lieux des enfants.One of the contributions made by children’s geographies to the field of geography is the inclusion of children as agents that create space, because children use and produce space as well as adults. We understand that schools should benefit from this knowledge and include it in the teaching of geography, so learners can better understand how they use space. The aim of this paper is to connect the fields of children’s geographies and geography education in order to enrich the latter. To this end, we propose a model based on four main ideas: children must be considered as social actors that produce space; how children appropriate their space and places is relevant; studying children’s spatial representation of places and spaces as well understanding children’s places is essential

Corpi, strumenti, narrazioni

The volume aims to provide an updated overview of School Geography as an inclusive knowledge. As teachers and citizens, we daily deal with the differences we meet. Working and living with a group of students implies, in fact, working and living in contact with the difference, defined by its dimensions: gender, physical ability, cultural heritage, social or economic backgrounds. Following this perspective, the “Officine didattiche” are thought of as a powerful opportunity in fostering the integration between methodological frameworks and educational practices. Inspired by the experience of the “Officine didattiche”, organized during the 59° Convegno Nazionale AIIG (held from September 29th to October 3rd, 2016 at the Facoltà di Lettere e Filosofia – Università La Sapienza), the book has been set as an operative tool for teachers. The authors of the contributions integrated theoretical reflections with the didactic relevance emerged from their training experiences. The main aim of this volume is to provide methodological and practical supports and to act as an operative source in planning and conducting training courses for teachers. The contributions are organized in three parts: "Corpi", "Strumenti" and "Narrazioni", re-proposing the guiding themes of the “Officine” set in Rome. Furthermore, these three “parts” work as thematic axes connecting the book to the contemporary debate on school and children Geographies

State and peripheries: the political geography of the Maldives between uniformity and segregation

La Repubblica delle Maldive negli ultimi decenni, almeno dagli anni novanta del ventesimo secolo ad oggi, è stata oggetto di spinte trasformative riconducibili all’incremento degli investimenti esteri e nazionali sul settore turistico, alla dipendenza energetica dai paesi produttori di greggio e, infine, all’introduzione e al consolidamento di modelli di consumo allogeni. In letteratura ha prevalso un’attenzione culturalista sulle conseguenze di queste trasformazioni. Noi proponiamo una lettura alternativa che si fonda su due concetti molto celebri nella geografia politica: il modello “centro periferia” e il “paesaggio politico” nelle versioni di Reynaud e di Lacoste. Il contributo mostra come lo Stato centrale, durante gli ultimi decenni, ha esercitato una funzione di controllo sulle comunità periferiche, come tale controllo sia leggibile attraverso questi modelli interpretativi e come la geografia politica maldiviana possa essere letta utilizzando le categorie della segregazione e dell’omologazione. In questo contributo ci si concentra sulla lettura di alcuni atti politici e sull’osservazione di un contesto locale specifico, l’isola di Faaf-Magoodhoo, dove gli autori svolgono ricerche sulla geografia sociale e ambientale presso il MaRHE Center dell’Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca.The Republic of the Maldives during the last decades, at least since the Nineties, has been involved by a complex body of transformative forces due to some factors: the increasing foreign investments in the tourism market; the dependency on oil producing Countries; and the introduction of new consumption models. The literature focused on a “culturalist” approach to these transformations. We aim at proposing an alternative analysis based on two pivotal concepts of Political Geography: the CenterPeriphery Model and the idea of “Political Landscape”, according to Reynaud and Lacoste. The contribution stresses how the central State, during the last decades, has imposed a control on local communities, how such control can be read through these two interpretive models, and how the political geography of the Maldives can be understood by adopting the spatial categories of segregation and uniformity. In this paper we develop our analysis both by reading two political acts, and by observing a specific local context, Faaf-Magoodhoo, an island where the authors carry out researches on environmental and social geography hosted by the MaRHE Center of the University of MilanoBicocca