Course - Globalisation and Urban Development - AAR5270
Globalisation and Urban Development
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About the course
Course content
The course deals with the implications of contemporary globalisation for urban and social development in cities world-wide and provides linkages to the most important global frameworks such as the SDGs. Economic globalisation, technological change and "deregulated" modes of governance have far reaching consequences for cities and neighbourhoods, for example through rising city networks but also through processes of socio-spatial homogenisation, fragmentation and polarisation. New types of urban fabrics are emerging, socio-economic relations are reconfigured, and new urban actors are on the rise (i.e. private sector). The course will cover both the physical and institutional dimensions of urban development and will convey a comparative perspective of change in the developed and the developing world.
Learning outcome
Knowledge: Students will be capable to understand scholarly concepts of globalisation and their implications on urban and social development, and for planning and design professions. Moreover they will have a good knowledge of global development agendas such as the SDGs.
Skills: Students will enhance their capacities to process theoretical models and apply these to case studies on the ground. Furthermore, reflective, field research, presentation, argumentation, writing and communication skills will be strengthened.
General competence: An enhanced understanding of globalisation and its relations to social, economic, and ecological transformation and their spatial dimensions will contribute to the general proficiency and technical competence of the course participants.
Learning methods and activities
The course comprises lectures, new media (movies), discussions, and a case study. There are two main deliverables: 1) an individual paper, and 2) a case study report written in group.
Further on evaluation
Should the student fail the course she/he will be required to resubmit the respective assignment to be re-evaluated. Re-evaluations will be done during the next regular exam period. The same applies for requests for upgrading of grades.
Specific conditions
Admission to a programme of study is required:
Architecture (MAAR)
Architecture (MAAR2)
Facility Management (MAEIENDOM)
Globalisation and Sustainable Development (MSGLOPOL)
Physical Planning (MFYSPL)
Sustainable Architecture (MSSUSARC)
Urban Ecological Planning (MSA1)
Recommended previous knowledge
To be enrolled in a masters program is required.
Course materials
Selected literature: Henri Lefebvre’s "Production of Space"; Saskia Sassen’s "The Global City"; Max Weber’s "Rationalisation"; and more on the Rights to the City; Social Inclusion; SDGs, Political Ecology, Housing, transnational institutions, policy mobility, spatial transformation and smart cities. Self-chosen literature depending on the case that the students select to write about in their individual paper. Detailed course material will be provided on Blackboard.
Other pages about the course
Subject areas
- Urban Design and Planning
- Architectural Design and Management
- Environmental and Resource Engineering
- Eco Design
- Design Strategies
- Globalisation
- Human Geography
- Urbanism