Credits: 5
Schedule: 14.01.2019 - 13.02.2019
Teacher in charge (valid 01.08.2018-31.07.2020):
Sami Moisio (UH)
Teaching Period (valid 01.08.2018-31.07.2020):
III (UH)
Learning Outcomes (valid 01.08.2018-31.07.2020):
The course provides the students with knowledge and insights on urban political geography in general and cities in global capitalism in particular. Students understand some of the ways in which globalization is spatially constituted and how planning in local contexts is increasingly constituted through transnational policy concepts and associated planning ideas and their travels. The students also understand the role of planning consultants in planning processes and identify the ways in which the so called knowledge-based economy shapes state/city relations, planning practices and the more general construction of urban symbolism, built environment and urban infrastructures more broadly. The students develop their understanding of urban geopolitics through various case studies. After the course the students are able to communicate constructively on global urbanization with planners and researchers in urban and regional studies.
Content (valid 01.08.2018-31.07.2020):
1) Spatial/urban planning as political production of space, 2) planning and politics at the age of global neoliberalism and austerity politics, 3) the mobility of planning ideas and concepts, 4) consultants and planning, 5) global cities and globalizing states: "global in the "national", 6) the geopolitics of the knowledge-based economy and the urban question (attractive city, smart city, creative city, eco-city), 7) territorial competitiveness as a discourse, practice and planning goal, 8) The implications of transnational urban and regional development.
Assessment Methods and Criteria (valid 01.08.2018-31.07.2020):
The course is organized in a lecture format, meeting twice a week for a total of 12 sessions (24 hours). There will be "weekly readings" which are discussed in sessions. In addition, the students work in groups with an aim to produce innovative contents/insights on transnational spaces of planning, urbanism, politics, etc. These works will be presented (in equally innovative forms) during the final week of the course.
The students write a learning diary and submit it to sami.moisio@helsinki.fi no later than two weeks after the final session. Details of the diary will be given at the start of the course. Evaluation will follow in two weeks after receiving the essays.
The evaluation of students will be based on their performance throughout the course: 1) general class participation and participation in group projects 35 %, 2) the learning diary 65 %.
Workload (valid 01.08.2018-31.07.2020):
Lectures 24 h, lecture diary, project work (written and oral presentation).
Study Material (valid 01.08.2018-31.07.2020):
The list of required articles will be delivered at the first session.
Recommended readings: Rossi, U. & Vanolo, A. (2012). Urban political geographies. A global perspective. Sage, Thousand Oakes.
Grading Scale (valid 01.08.2018-31.07.2020):
0-5
Registration for Courses (valid 01.08.2018-31.07.2020):
Registration in University of Helsinki weboodi.