GEOS 3522/3922: Cities and Citizenship

GEOS 3522 Cities and Citizenship (6cp)
GEOS 3922 Cities and Citizenship (Advanced) (6cp)
Dr Kurt Iveson

Session: July
Prerequisites: 6 credit points of Intermediate Geography Units of Study.
Classes: 1 x 2h lec, 1 x 1hr tut, 1 x 2hr prac/week.
Assessment: 1 x 2hr exam, 1 x 2000 word essays, 1 x 3000 word practical report, tutorial participation. Independent assessment is required for 'Advanced' Unit of Study.

What does it mean to be a ‘citizen’, and what has this got to do with cities? This Unit explores the urban dimension of contests over the meaning of citizenship. The first half will consider historical configurations of urban citizenship, from the Greek city-states of antiquity through to imperial, colonial and industrial cities. The second half will then focus on contemporary globalising cities. A series of case studies will consider the production of new configurations of urban citizenship across a range of cities in the world, looking at issues such as: asylum-seekers and the city; children and the city; homelessness in the city; ‘culture jamming’ and new forms of urban protest; trans-national social movements. The Unit will involve a substantial practical component, encouraging students to draw on their own experiences of city life to reflect on the meanings of citizenship.