This
seminar’s goal is to introduce new students of the Master Historische
Urbanistik/CMS to decolonizing approaches in urban theory, as well as commonly used
research methods in the broader field of Urban Studies.
The seminar consists of a mix of lectures and practical exercises (workshops) to be carried-out individually and in groups. It will contain case study examples, guest speakers, videos, images, interactive tools, and debates.
The content will be divided into three complementary thematic blocks: I) Discourse Analysis: The Problem in Urban Studies Today; II) Methodological Tools; and III) Academic Writing. We will begin by examining the ‘problem’ perceived in urban theory today: the dissemination of global urban models and trends under the label of best practices, which tend to ignore local singularities. We will then address the role of informality in today’s cities and learn about the need to create contextualized knowledge through a decolonial perspective. We will also briefly address the current debates surrounding the need for a reinvention of the role of urbanists and planning professionals by analyzing discourses of tactical urbanism and insurgent planning.
We will then discuss approaches and tools frequently used in Social Sciences, including historical, qualitative, and collaborative methods (keeping in mind the need to adapt them to the current context of the COVID-19 pandemic). Lastly, we will focus on how to structure academic papers and on scientific writing in English.
This seminar is aimed only at students of the Master Historische Urbanistik/CMS.
The seminar consists of a mix of lectures and practical exercises (workshops) to be carried-out individually and in groups. It will contain case study examples, guest speakers, videos, images, interactive tools, and debates.
The content will be divided into three complementary thematic blocks: I) Discourse Analysis: The Problem in Urban Studies Today; II) Methodological Tools; and III) Academic Writing. We will begin by examining the ‘problem’ perceived in urban theory today: the dissemination of global urban models and trends under the label of best practices, which tend to ignore local singularities. We will then address the role of informality in today’s cities and learn about the need to create contextualized knowledge through a decolonial perspective. We will also briefly address the current debates surrounding the need for a reinvention of the role of urbanists and planning professionals by analyzing discourses of tactical urbanism and insurgent planning.
We will then discuss approaches and tools frequently used in Social Sciences, including historical, qualitative, and collaborative methods (keeping in mind the need to adapt them to the current context of the COVID-19 pandemic). Lastly, we will focus on how to structure academic papers and on scientific writing in English.
This seminar is aimed only at students of the Master Historische Urbanistik/CMS.
- Trainer/in: Claudia Seldin