GEO4-36487.5 ECTSQ1EnglishMaster
Introduction to Global Urban Transformations
FaculteitFaculty of Geosciences
NiveauMaster
Studiejaar2026-2027
Beschrijving
Course goals
Please note: the information in the course manual is binding.
After this course, students will be able to:
- Can identify and compare selected geographical perspectives on Global Urban Transformations.
- Can recognize and compare how Global Urban Transformations are framed across academic, policy and societal debates
- Are able to apply key concepts and theories to the analysis of specific Global Urban Transformations.
- Are able to present a scholarly analysis of a global urban transformation using the key concepts that were introduced.
- Can critically reflect on their position in the academic field.
Content
This introductory course aims to equip students with a conceptual foundation for analyzing global urban transformations from a geographical perspective. Apart from key concepts, a number of key concerns will also be addressed in relation to local implications of these transformations. More concretely, changes related to financialization, climate change adaptation, digitalization and migration that transform urban areas all over the world will be looked at in-depth. These changes create opportunities as well as challenges and students will learn what the social, economic, ecological and spatial implications of these changes are. The course mixes lectures with in-depth reading, as well as discussions of contemporary societal issues. In this course students will work on a larger assignment designed around a global transformation of their own interest.
Assessment:
- At the start of the course we introduce an assignment where students choose a global urban transformation in a specific city of their own interest. They reflect on this topic using each of the 4 lectures and analyze in a paper how the different perspectives complement or contradict each other. The paper aims at developing a research idea based on the reflections.
- During the first weeks we have assignments linked to the readings and student-led seminars.
- Students are required to prepare one 'student-led seminar' in a group of 3-4.
- Students are required to choose a topic for the final essay. In the later part of the course, students are required to present the essay topic and idea for feedback.
- We will introduce the STAR method and ask students to keep a diary in which they reflect on their learning moments and think about their own position in the field as an academic (situation, task, action and result). During the entire curriculum students will work on building an academic portfolio.
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