13905 - Critical Urban Studies Modulübersicht

Module Number: 13905
Module Title:Critical Urban Studies
  Kritische Stadtforschung
Department: Faculty 6 - Architecture, Civil Engineering and Urban Planning
Responsible Staff Member:
  • Dr. phil. Binder, Julia
  • Prof. Dr. phil. Gribat, Nina
Language of Teaching / Examination:English
Duration:1 semester
Frequency of Offer: On special announcement
Credits: 6
Learning Outcome:In this Masters seminar, students are introduced to the interdisciplinary field of critical urban studies – a distinct strand within urban studies which foregrounds questions of power relations and social injustice in the research and planning of cities. Originally coming out of post-Marxist theory and urban political economy, critical urban studies has expanded to focus on hegemonic urban development policies, infrastructural networks of urban centers, emancipatory forms of urbanism, and the dialectical relationship between capitalism, the environment, and social transformations.
Students will gain an introduction to foundational theories and case-studies in this field, familiarising themselves with key authors and theories of the 20th and 21st century. Moreover, through an investigation of specific empirical examples, students will understand how such a theoretical perspective shapes ongoing urban research and planning practices. 
The course will strengthen students' reading and writing skills, helping them to further improve their understanding of argumentation, evidence, and the practice of theory-building and its application.
Contents:
  • Foundational theories of critical urban studies
  • Investigation of empirical case-studies
  • Methodologies
Recommended Prerequisites:none
Mandatory Prerequisites:None
Forms of Teaching and Proportion:
  • Seminar / 4 Hours per Week per Semester
  • Self organised studies / 120 Hours
Teaching Materials and Literature:Brenner, Neil; Marcuse, Peter; Mayer, Margit. 2012. Cities for People, Not for Profit: Critical Urban Theory and the Right to the City. London, New York. Routledge.

Jayne, Mark; Ward, Kevin. 2017. Urban Theory: New Critical Perspectives. London, New York. Routledge.
Lefebvre, Henri. 1996. Writings on Cities. Edited by Eleonore Kofman and Elizabeth Lebas. 1st edition. Cambridge, Mass, USA: Wiley-Blackwell.

Merrifield, Andrew. 2002. Metromarxism: A Marxist Tale of the City. New York: Taylor & Francis Ltd.
Harvey, David. 2012. Rebel Cities: From the Right to the City to the Urban Revolution 1st. n.d.
Smith, Neil. 2010. Uneven Development: Nature, Capital, And The Production Of Space. 3rd ed. London New York: Verso Books.

Further literature will be provided during the seminar.
Module Examination:Final Module Examination (MAP)
Assessment Mode for Module Examination:Written paper (max. 3.000 words)
Evaluation of Module Examination:Performance Verification – graded
Limited Number of Participants:15
Part of the Study Programme:
  • Master (research-oriented) / Stadt- und Regionalplanung / PO 2023
  • Master (research-oriented) / Urban Design and Sustainable Revitalization / PO 2024
Remarks:Just in case that the module can't be taught as described, all relevant information will be communicated via the existing communication platforms (Homepage, Moodle).
Module Components:Seminar Critical Urban Studies
Components to be offered in the Current Semester:
  • no assignment