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Urban Citizenship & Sustainability

GEOS3520

Cities are now the predominant home for humanity. More than half of the world's population reside in cities. The contemporary growth of cities, however, is attached to profound political questions about what it means to be urban, and what 'being urban' means for the planet. This Unit of Study provides grounding to these crucial questions. During the first half of the semester, lectures ask the question what does it mean to be a 'citizen', and what has this got to do with cities? This includes consideration of historical and contemporary configurations of citizenship. Case studies illustrate ways in which new forms of citizenship are produced through struggles over rights to the city, looking at issues including new informatics and surveillance technologies, homelessness, child spaces, indigeneity, asylum-seekers, 'culture jamming', and sexuality. In the second half of the semester, lectures address the question: are cities sustainable? Why or why not? And for whom? This focus addresses utopian visions for cities, urban history, ecological footprint analysis, bioregionalism, transport options, urban form and urban policy, with reference to sustainable futures and the role of custodianship. Through the semester a practicals program enables students to develop urban-based research projects.

Unit of study details

Unit of study level: Senior

Credit points: 6

Commencing semesters: 1

Further unit of study information

Unit of study handbook: GEOS3520

Costs and scholarships information: Costs and Scholarships

Final dates to withdraw from units of study: Census Dates

Available for study abroad and exchange: No

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