Urban Social Geography

The aim of the course is to examine the relationship between society and urban space and to introduce the organization and the working of urban areas. The course consists of two parts. In the winter term, the course introduces key theoretical approaches within the field of urban geography. In the summer term, it is arranged along the fundamental themes in contemporary urban studies.

The Urban Social Geography: Key Theoretical Approaches course is focused on the variability of research perspectives in urban studies. The key theoretical approaches are selected in the context of the specific development of Central and Eastern European (CEE) urban system and the internal structures of cities within the region. The course offers profound knowledge of spatial patterns, urban processes and developments through the lens of theoretical and methodological concepts from the traditional urban sociology, Chicago school, Marxist and humanistic approaches, time-space geography and social environment theory. The course consists of eleven lectures combined with exercises and two discussion seminars. The main emphasis is on reading, classroom discussion and written assignments of the varying explanatory power of different theoretical concepts and their usefulness for CEE urban studies.

The Urban Social Geography: Contemporary Issues course discusses the key themes and trends in contemporary urban social geography. In-class lectures focus on segregation, daily mobility, criminality, suburbanization and other topics, allowing to compare research from Prague with other European cities. The course also offers two field trips (to a housing estate and a suburb of Prague). The emphasis of the course is on reading and discussion as well as on own fieldwork and its presentation and cooperation within the student´s teams. Participation and co-operation of Czech and Erasmus students as well as urban geographers and students of other disciplines is encouraged, giving the opportunity for networking and exchange of ideas across countries and fields of study. Completion of previous courses in urban geography is not required.

Lecturers:

Doc. RNDr. Martin Ouředníček, Ph.D. (slamak@natur.cuni.cz)

RNDr. Petra Špačková, Ph.D. (petra.spackova@natur.cuni.cz)

RNDr. Lucie Pospíšilová, Ph.D. (lucie.pospisilova@natur.cuni.cz)

RNDr. Martin Šimon, Ph.D. (martin.simon@natur.cuni.cz)

RNDr. Ivana Křížková, Ph.D. (ivana.krizkova@natur.cuni.cz)

Teaching assistant:

Adela Petrović, M.Sc. & M.A. (petroviade@natur.cuni.cz)

Urban Social Geography: Key Theoretical Approaches (USG I)