B028247 - POLITICAL URBAN GEOGRAPHY

Italian

The course investigates the city as political space: as place for politics and as context for urban policies. It first deepens the very concept of “city”, with particular focus on the concepts of public space, right to the city and quality of life; it then discusses methodologies for researching and planning the city, with case-studies in the global north and south

Suggested readings are the following:
• Rob Kitchin, Nick Tate, “Conducting Research in Human Geography: Theory, Methodology and Practice”,
Routledge, 2013;
Paul Knox, Steven Pinch, “Urban Social Geography: An Introduction”, Routledge, 2014.

Knowledge: the students become acquainted with advanced notions in the field of urban theories and urban policies.
Competences: students will learn to critically reflect on the processes investing the contemporary city in a global perspective.
Capacity: students are introduced to field research and spatial management in urban contexts.

Students are expected to be acquainted with the main theoretical and methodological approaches in Geography.

The course is based on seminars. Students will be requested to actively participate to the course with group presentations and discussion.

Attending classes is mandatory. Individual programs are permitted only in special cases.

Students will prepare, present and discuss a paper on a selected topic concerning urban political geography.

The course focuses on the following topics:
- Theories of urban politics
- Urban and spatial policies
- Urban movements and the right to the city
- Urban public space and the quality of life
- Research methods in urban studies.