GY439      Half Unit
Cities, Politics and Citizenship

This information is for the 2014/15 session.

Teacher responsible

Dr Murray Low S512

Availability

This course is available on the MPA in European Public and Economic Policy, MPA in International Development, MPA in Public Policy and Management, MPA in Public and Economic Policy, MPA in Public and Social Policy, MSc Human Geography and Urban Studies (Research), MSc in City Design and Social Science, MSc in Culture and Society, MSc in Environment and Development, MSc in Global Media and Communications (LSE and Fudan), MSc in Global Media and Communications (LSE and USC), MSc in Health, Community and Development, MSc in Regional And Urban Planning Studies, MSc in Urban Policy (LSE and Sciences Po) and MSc in Urbanisation and Development. This course is available with permission as an outside option to students on other programmes where regulations permit.

Course content

Perspectives on contemporary urban politics. The course will equip students interested in urban change and development to understand and critically assess the variety of ways in which urban politics and policies are imagined and discussed in universities as well as in the world of policy. It will also develop their understandings of key debates and themes in contemporary urban political life.

Topics covered will include: imagining urban politics; theories of urban politics, 'globalisation' and urban political life; urban governance; civil society and urban social movements; urban dimensions of citizenship and migration; policing, violence and urban politics; urban politics and ‘neoliberalism.’

Teaching

18 hours of lectures in the LT. 6 hours of lectures in the ST.

Formative coursework

Students will be expected to produce 1 piece of coursework in the ST.

Indicative reading

J Borja and M Castell, Local and Global, 1997; J Davies and D

Imbroscio, eds., Theories of Urban Politics (2nd Edition), 2009; M

Douglass and J Friedmann, eds., Cities for Citizens, 1998; D Judge, G

Stoker and H Wolman, eds, Theories of Urban Politics, 1995; P Le Galegrave;s,

European Cities, 2002; L Sandercock, Towards Cosmopolis, 1998; S. Sassen

Territory, Authority, Rights, 2006; M P Smith, Translocal Urbanism,

2001.

Assessment

Exam (100%, duration: 2 hours) in the main exam period.

Student performance results

(2010/11 - 2012/13 combined)

Classification % of students
Distinction 19.6
Merit 47.8
Pass 30.4
Fail 2.2

Key facts

Department: Geography & Environment

Total students 2013/14: 23

Average class size 2013/14: Unavailable

Controlled access 2013/14: No

Lecture capture used 2013/14: No

Value: Half Unit

Guidelines for interpreting course guide information

Personal development skills

  • Self-management
  • Team working
  • Problem solving
  • Communication

Course survey results

(2010/11 - 2011/12 combined)

1 = "best" score, 5 = "worst" score

The scores below are average responses.

Response rate: 100%

Question

Average
response

Reading list (Q2.1)

1.4

Materials (Q2.3)

1.9

Course satisfied (Q2.4)

1.7

Lectures (Q2.5)

1.9

Integration (Q2.6)

2.1

Contact (Q2.7)

2

Feedback (Q2.8)

2.7

Recommend (Q2.9)

Yes

77.4%

Maybe

22.6%

No

0%