Abstract

In this thesis I seek to contribute to our understanding of new emerging approaches in urban geography. We have witnessed a plethora of new concepts and labels in the last twenty years. But are all of these relevant for our understanding of contemporary urban change? I focused specifically on approaches, which are connected with so called postmodern turn within Western geographical discourse. The thesis presents my answer to the two main questions. How is human geography influenced by the postmodern approaches? How are these approaches reflected in urban geography?

I begin with a few crucial remarks about the nature and limitations of geographical knowledge, which are important for understanding to this topic. In the second part, different approaches to postmodern phenomena are discussed, first in relation to geography and second in relation to urban geography. In the further part I examine in detail selected case studies of new approaches based on relevant literature. The thesis concludes with claim that using of postmodern in studying urban sphere requires careful scrutiny and clarification, and that new approaches which can be seen as arising from postmodern perspective contribute positively to our ways of studying cities.