Urbanization and Environment

About this programme

Half of the world’s population now resides in urban areas. Many lack access to sufficient incomes, housing, safe water and sanitation. The course analyses city and slum growth, environmental consequences and economic and social inequalities. The focus lies on local environments in cities of the South, on people’s provisioning strategies and their individual and collective actions. The course starts with overarching theories about urban growth, economic and political processes and applications within city planning and urban politics. Students then go more in depth with these issues in sector specific studies of housing, water provision, sanitation, waste management, energy and transportation. Different methods are tested during the course for studying and describing urban environmental questions. Different theoretical approaches for understanding urban environments will be compared as well. Special emphasis is placed on the varying spatial scale of different urban environmental questions, their varying effect and who is advantaged and disadvantaged. Gender issues are also considered as are differences between the rich and poor. The issues raised and discussed in the course are concretized in independent work to produce environmental profiles of cities of the student's choice. Instruction is conducted in the form of lectures, seminars and experimental exercises. Several assignments and independent papers will be presented orally and/or will be submitted in writing during the course. Detailed information, including grading criteria, is presented at the course and module