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2016/17 Taught Postgraduate Module Catalogue

GEOG5260M Cities and Social Justice (Long)

30 creditsClass Size: 25

Module manager: Dr Paul Waley
Email: p.t.waley@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable

Year running 2016/17

This module is mutually exclusive with

GEOG5265M

Cities and Social Justice (Short)

Module replaces

GEOG5370M Empire and Resistance (Long)

This module is approved as an Elective

Module summary

Throughout the contemporary world, cities are the scene of tensions and struggles that reflect contradictions within current capitalist regimes. This module introduces students to some of the theoretical underpinnings that help us understand the nature of these struggles and the role that cities play as crucibles for urban movements resisting injustices. Students are introduced to a range of contemporary urban-based movements around the world. These movements are placed within their local and global contexts, as are their conceptual and political roots. The wider significance of their struggles are weighed against contemporary regimes of urban governance. At the heart of the module lies a belief in the importance of struggles for greater social justice in contemporary cities.

Objectives

On completion of this module students should have acquired:
1) an advanced understanding of theoretical approaches to contemporary urban society, in particular from a Marxist standpoint
2) an awareness of a range of radical alternative theoretical approaches on contemporary urban life
3) a knowledge of the history and contemporary state of important urban struggles both in Britain and worldwide
4) a critical understanding of contemporary neo-liberal urban governance and its consequences
5) an appreciation of possibilities for alternative social formations and lifestyles in contemporary cities
6) skills in critical thought and research and its distillation in creative writing

Learning outcomes
Knowledge and Understanding
A1 The dynamic nature of geographical thought and practice and the inter-relationships between the discipline and the social sciences and humanities
A5 The geography of places and their constitution by environmental, economic, social and political processes, and the influence of places on these processes
A6 The geographies of difference and inequality with particular reference to historical development, ethnicity, class, gender and the changing nature of urban and regional economies and policy
A7 Contemporary debates about time-space relationships, globalization and global interconnections
A8 The role of changes in technology, the nature of work and labour markets in influencing spatial patterns of economic activity
A10 The contribution of geography to development of environmental political, economic and cultural agendas, policies and practices

Skills outcomes
B Cognitive skills
B1 Abstraction and synthesis of information from a variety of sources
B2 Assessment and critical evaluation of the merits of contrasting theories, explanations, policies
B3 Critical analysis and interpretation of data and text
B4 Developing reasoned arguments

C Practical/professional skills
C1 Plan, design, execute and report geographical research both individually and as part of a team
C4 Collect, interpret and synthesise different types of qualitative geographical data
C5 Recognise the ethical issues involved in geographical debates and enquiries

D Key skills
D1 Learn in familiar and unfamiliar situations
D2 Communicate effectively (in writing, verbally and through graphical presentations)
D4 Use information technology effectively (including use of word processing programmes; Internet and e-mail)
D6 Work as part of a team and to recognise and respect the viewpoints of others
D7 Manage time and organise work effectively

Syllabus

1) The Urban Question
- theories and evidence of the city as a site of class struggle (Engels, Harvey, Castells etc)
- overview of alternative visions and practices of the city (including ideal settlements, ideal cities, the Right to the City, mongrel cities)

2) Urban Social Movements
- theories of urban social movements
- examples of key historical urban struggles in Britain: including Glasgow Rent Strike, Squatters, anti-privatisation of housing
- examples of key urban struggles elsewhere: including land struggles in Ghana, China

3) Contesting Neoliberal Urbanism
- urban entrepreneurialism, gentrification and exclusionary urbanism (e.g. dystopian spaces)
- new urban social movements and urban politics (e.g. Occupy, Right to the City coalitions, post-crisis urban politics)

4) Radical Urbanisms
- autonomous spaces and post-carbon cities
- social centres, rebellion, subversion, urban Zapatismo
- coops, co-housing, urban farming, greening the city

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Lecture	5	2.00	10.00
Seminar	15	2.00	30.00
Private study hours			260.00
Total Contact hours			40.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			300.00

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Student progress will be monitored through their contribution to and performance in the seminar sessions.

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Essay	4,500 words	60.00
Report	2000 words contribution to jointly authored manifesto	30.00
Presentation	Group presentation of manifesto and debate with teaching staff	10.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		100.00

The 4500 word essay will form the principal component of assessment and will be completed individually. The manifesto is designed as an exercise in collective thinking, negotiation, facilitation and teamwork, where everyone is responsible not only for their own contribution but also for the coherence of the whole. The manifesto will involve students collectively imagining, debating and producing a proposal for how society, or particular social groups, might work towards producing a more socially just city or organisation of contemporary urban life. students will receive the same mark in what will be an entirely collaborative exercise of a type that has been successfully pioneered in GEOG5380 Campaigning for Social Change and GEOG5310 Researching for Social Change. The presentation and debate is designed to make students think about how they might present their manifesto to others, and how they might defend the visions and measures outlined in their proposal.

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 02/04/2012

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