Advanced Urban Geography

Course goals

• Connect and discuss from a daily life and life course perspective the major transformation processes in urbanized societies and discuss implications for the performance of individuals, households and urban spaces;
• Compare and discuss the most important contextual perspectives in urban geography and discuss implications for the performance of individuals, households and urban spaces;
• Apply major contextual approaches in urban geography to empirical research and spatial policy.

Content

Cities across the world are facing major challenges. They offer opportunities for people and firms to create economic growth and innovations, as well as healthy and liveable cities and neighbourhoods. However, not all groups of people participate and profit in an equal manner. Social and spatial inequalities, risks for health, safety and cohesion, but also differing capacities for adaptation (resilience) to economic and social dynamics need to be addressed. In this course these urban issues and challenges are studied by combining two perspectives:

1. The daily life perspective which emphasizes the description and explanation of the progression of the daily paths through time and space as people participate in activities at home or elsewhere;
2. The life course perspective which deals especially with the description and explanation of changes in residential environments at different stages of the life course.

Central to this course is to develop a better understanding of the dynamics and meanings of spatio-temporal contexts for the urban issues and challenges mentioned above as well as the societal transitions involved. Implications for empirical research and spatial planning will also be discussed.

This course is the entry requirement for the Urban Geography specialisation of the Urban and Economic Geography Master's program.