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The course will consider current trends in global urbanism. It will explore contemporary urbanization processes, theoretical debates in global urban studies, and selected empirical aspects of global urban dynamics. The course will have three components. (1) Overview of current debates in global urban studies (including planetary urbanization, comparative urbanism, regional and area studies approaches) (2) Selected empirical themes requiring a global perspective on urban processes e.g. urban policy; neoliberalisation; urban-rural interactions; gentrification/urban transformation; transport-oriented development; financing urban growth; urban regions (3) Field work requiring independent research to develop a transnational and comparative approach to a selected urban problem in London.

Cities are produced through globalised connections and flows of people, goods and ideas; and they are increasingly extended across large areas, incorporating a wide variety of settlement forms. Urban studies therefore needs to be global in its scope, and take account of a wide range of urban experiences in framing its concepts. While historically much existing urban theory has been framed with reference to wealthier, northern cities, increasingly urban studies is globalising, reflecting the growing influence of Asian urban experiences, and the developmental challenges from urbanisation which are to be found in some of the poorest countries of the world. On some predictions (although these are disputed), more people will be added to the population of Africa’s cities in the next few decades than currently live in European cities. The starting premise for this course is the need to develop a more international approach to urban studies. It explores a range of emerging strategies and theorisations responding to this call, including Regional and Area Studies approaches, Planetary Urbanisation theories; Comparative Urbanism; efforts to Provincialise urban theory; ethnographic approaches; policy-driven theorisations. Building on these approaches, the course will explore a range of different themes in urban studies, with a strong focus on Asian and African urban contexts. These themes will vary year by year but could include: Neoliberalisation; satellite city developments; eco-cities; smart urbanism; sustainable urban developments; global urban policies; the politics of land value capture; comparing urbanisation in China and India; climate change and urban development; globalising African cities.

Delivery will usually be by standard lectures combined with extensive group work in class and small group seminars, for which student preparation of brief written contributions and presentations will be expected regularly. Field classes will be linked to a summative assessment in the form of a report responding to a real world urban problem/brief developed in relation to London, drawing on experiences of other cities.