Marco Lupatini

Marco Lupatini serves as a Senior Teaching Researcher in Geography Education at the Department of Education and Learning (DFA/ASP) of the University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland (SUPSI), specifically within the Area of Geography Teaching (GEO). His academic work bridges theoretical research with practical classroom applications, focusing on how geography education can foster dynamic citizenship through the integration of controversial spatial issues that stimulate critical and spatial thinking among students.

Dr. Lupatini's research centers on the pedagogical potential of controversies related to public spaces, landscapes, and spatial management projects as tools for developing citizenship competencies. His work demonstrates how geographical education effectively contributes to students' social and civic development through the mobilization of critical judgment and spatial reasoning, with particular effectiveness when controversies connect to students' immediate environments. A recurring theme across his publications is the dual importance of critical and spatial thinking as essential components of citizenship education.

Analysis of his recent scholarly output reveals increasing focus on discrimination prevention, inclusive education practices, and the development of argumentative dialogue skills. His involvement in the TEDYC project (2022-2025) highlights his commitment to developing soft skills through teaching simulations based on realistic controversies. His collaborative work, particularly with Andrea Plata and Sonia Castro Mallamaci, has produced significant contributions to democratic education through the Democrazia e Scuola publication series, examining how educational spaces can transform into participatory arenas for co-constructing democratic ideas and preventing discrimination.