HGO4203 – Sustainable Urban Transformations

This course aims to explore challenges and policies related to urban sustainability transformations. Emphasis is placed on the social, cultural and spatial aspects of these challenges and policies. The course involves the analysis of theories about urban sustainability, policy transformations, urban infrastructures, green urbanism and urban adaptive pathways. As a student, you will be part of field visits and dialogues with stakeholders, and develop a smaller study focusing on the challenges of putting theory into practice.

The main themes covered by the course are:

• urban sustainability challenges
• urban political ecology and urban metabolisms
• transition in urban infrastructure
• sustainable and green urbanism
• urban adaptive pathways

Knowledge goals

You will be able to:

• account for and discuss key concepts and theories related to urban sustainability
• explain the relations between theories of transformations and policies and practices

Skills attainment goals

• account for, discuss and critique concepts and theories in a sophisticated manner
• connect these theories, and critiques thereof, to specific cases and concrete settings in the field
• present a small observation study to an audience, demonstrating the ability to translate empirical insight into informed analytical reflection
• collaborate effectively in group work, including organising and delegating tasks, facilitating academic discussions, and planning and executing a joint presentation

General competences

You will be able to:

• assess specific situations and challenges involving urban sustainability and sustainable transformations based on theoretically grounded knowledge on this field.
• communicate knowledge-based insights and analysis both verbally and in writing.
• contribute to the new creative and independent thinking about urban sustainability issues.

Teaching in this course is lecture and seminar based, but also involves excursions and a small student-led observation study. In the seminars students are expected to prepare for and take part in exercises and discussions.

Compulsory instruction and coursework

• It is compulsory to give a presentation of a relevant case, based on field notes done during the course.

Completed and approved compulsory course work is valid as long as the course is offered. Students who have failed to complete the compulsory attendance cannot take the exam.

Absence from compulsory tuition activities

If you are ill or have another valid reason for being absent from compulsory tuition activities, your absence may be approved or the compulsory activity may be postponed.

• Report absence from or the need for a postponed deadline on a compulsory tuition activity

A student who has completed compulsory instruction and coursework and has had these approved, is not entitled to repeat that instruction and coursework. A student who has been admitted to a course, but who has not completed compulsory instruction and coursework or had these approved, is entitled to repeat that instruction and coursework, depending on available capacity.

The exam is a 4-hour school exam.

Examiner guidelines