Urbanisation and Transformation of the Territory
Code: 104237 ECTS Credits: 6| Degree | Type | Year | Semester |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2503710 Geography, Environmental Management and Spatial Planning | FB | 1 | 2 |
Contact
- Name:
- Francisco Manuel Muñoz Ramirez
- Email:
- franc.munoz@uab.cat
Teaching groups languages
You can check it through this link. To consult the language you will need to enter the CODE of the subject. Please note that this information is provisional until 30 November 2023.
Prerequisites
None requierements neither previous skills/knowledge required.
Objectives and Contextualisation
Main goals are referred to three main aspects defining the urbanization process and the territorial transformations that such a process has produced both historically and at the present moment:
- Description, explanation and analysis of the urbanization process considering different historical moments and also paying attention to the situation nowadays.
- General explanation of the relationships between the urbanization process and the different kind of territorial transformation. Different type of information based on economic, technological, political, social and cultural aspects are proposed.
- Introduction to the main processus of territorial change in regard with the city and the urban/metropolitan spaces at the present moment, specially considering the results and consequences of these dynamics of territorial change globally.
Competences
- Analyse and understand geographical dynamics (sociodemographics, geo-economics and environmental) on different territorial scales.
- Critically analyse the relationship between society and the region applying the conceptual and theoretical framework of geography.
- Students must be capable of collecting and interpreting relevant data (usually within their area of study) in order to make statements that reflect social, scientific or ethical relevant issues.
- Students must be capable of communicating information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialised and non-specialised audiences.
- Students must develop the necessary learning skills to undertake further training with a high degree of autonomy.
- Students must have and understand knowledge of an area of study built on the basis of general secondary education, and while it relies on some advanced textbooks it also includes some aspects coming from the forefront of its field of study.
- Systematically analyse and interpret environmental, demographic, urban and landscape elements.
Learning Outcomes
- Compare and contrast major geographical information.
- Consider problems of inequality, population distribution and urbanisation in the world, among other things.
- Contrasting and comparing several interpretations of geographical maps.
- Distinguish between the main causes and consequences of the urbanisation process.
- Identifying the main ideas of a related text and drawing a diagram.
- Presenting the specific concepts of Geography.
- Producing an individual work that specifies the work plan and timing of activities.
- Students must be capable of communicating information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialised and non-specialised audiences.
- Use the main concepts related to territory and their consequences.
Content
- The transformation of territory: different spatial dynamics and the process of urbanization.
- The concept of ‘Anthropocene’: the consequences of territorial transformations resulting from the anthropization of the environment and the urbanization process and the globalization of society and economy.
- The process of urbanization: main definitions and historical overview in regard with the spatial change associated to the urban growth and expansion (three different historical moments).
- The mechanisms defining the process of urbanization and the transformation of territory.
- From the ‘urbanization’ to the ‘metropolization’: the regional dispersed urbanization.
- The future of urbanization: main risks and challenges of the urbanization process transforming territory.
Methodology
- Lectures.
- Presentation and discussion of audiivisual materials (documentaries and films).
- Reading books and journal academic articles.
- Discussions on basic issues in regard with the materia.
- Practical exercicis and essays.
Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.
Activities
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type: Directed | |||
| Lectures | 21 | 0.84 | 1, 4, 6, 2, 9 |
| Presentation of audiovisual documents and materials | 25 | 1 | 4, 2, 9 |
| Type: Supervised | |||
| Preparing essays, discussions and presentations | 22 | 0.88 | 5, 8, 9 |
| Type: Autonomous | |||
| Preparing exercices and practical essays | 20 | 0.8 | 4, 7, 5, 9 |
| Reading journals articles and books | 30 | 1.2 | 1, 4, 5, 9 |
| Study in regard with the written exam | 30 | 1.2 | 1, 4, 5, 9 |
Assessment
Evaluation
Information about the assignments and the written exam:
Assignment 1. Handing an essay on the analysis of different territories transformed.
Assignment 2. Exercises dossier (different exercices proposed by the professor during the course will be presented configuring one single document).
Exam. Written exam in regard of the course material (basic and complementary bibliography, thematic files provided by the instructor on a weekly basis and digital resources provided during the course).
Important notes:
- Handing assignments 1 and 2 is required before the exam.
- Assistance to a minimum amount of 75% of the tuition sessions will be considered as a positive asset in regard with the final evaluation.
- The written essay (exam) has a very remarkable importance since is devoted to evaluate the performance of the student in regard with the thematic files and the digital resources provided by the instructor and it directly evaluates the knowledge effectively acquired by the student when considering the contents of the course. This is to say, a minimum qualification of '5' will be required in regard with succesfully pass the materia.
Evaluation criteria
- Rigor and clarity in regard with the exposition of statements in regard with the concepts and materials considered for the evalaution of the materia.
- Capability for proposing examples directly related with the bibliography of the course and other additional materials proposed by the professor.
- Initiative in regard with completing the materials provided by the professor taking advantage of the own individual research.
On carrying out each evaluation activity, lecturers will inform students (on Moodle) of the procedures to be followed for reviewing all grades awarded, and the date on which such a review will take place.
Recuperation
-The recuperation of the materia considers the improvement of the evaluation test also based on the use of the bibliography of the course and the rest of compulsory materials provided by the professor.
-Having presented the assignments 1 and 2 is required for recuperation.
- The qualification 'No avaluable' is only possible in the case of not having presented any assignment or the exam. In the case of presenting some of the assignments or the exam represents not having the right to apply for the 'No avaluable' qualification. Només es podrà tenir una qualificació de "no avaluable".
Copying or plagiarizing material, both in the case of assignments and in the case of exams, constitutes a crime that will be sanctioned with a zero in the activity. In case of recidivism, the entire subject will be suspended. Remember that work that reproduces all or a large part of another colleague's work is considered a "copy". "Plagiarism" is the act of presenting all or part of an author's text as one's own, without citing the sources, whether on paper or in digital format. See UAB documentation on "plagiarism" in: http://wuster.uab.es/web_argumenta_obert/unit_20/sot_2_01.html
Single Evaluation
- The students who have taken advantage of the single evaluation modality must take a final test that will consist of a theory exam in which they must develop a topic and answer a series of short questions. Next, you will have to do an applied test where you will have to solve a series of exercises similar to those that have been worked on in the classroom practice sessions.
- The student's grade will correspond to the weighted average of the previous activities: the theory exam will account for 60% of the grade and the practical problems exam for 40%.
- If the final mark does not reach 5, the student will have another opportunity to pass the subject through the recovery exam that will be held on the date set by the coordination of the degree.
Assessment Activities
| Title | Weighting | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Books bibliographical review or alternative research work | 30% | 0 | 0 | 1, 5, 9 |
| Course exercises rapport | 35% | 0 | 0 | 1, 3, 4, 7, 6, 5, 8, 9 |
| Written exam | 35% | 2 | 0.08 | 1, 4, 5, 2, 9 |
Bibliography
The ‘anthropization’ global process: key issues for a better understanding of the territorial transformations today
George, Rose (2014) 90% de todo. La industria invisible que te viste, te llena el depósito de gasolina y pone comida en tu plato. Capitan Swing Ed.
Nel·lo, Oriol; Mele, Renata (eds. 2016) Cities in the 21st Century. Routledge: London.
Turiel, Antonio (2020) Petrocalipsis. Crisis energética global y cómo (no) la vamos a solucionar. Ed. Alfabeto.
The process of urbanization and the urban transformation
Dupuy, Gabriel (1998) El urbanismo de las redes. Oikos-Tau.
Hall, Peter (2002) Ciudades del mañana. Historia del urbanismo en el siglo XX. La Estrella Polar.
Muñoz, Francesc (2010) ) “La densidad urbana: de la ciudad de concentración al campo urbanizado”. A Fuster Sobrepere, Joan (ed.) La agenda Cerdà. Construyendo la Barcelona metropolitana (75-114). Barcelona: Ajuntament de Barcelona/Lunwerg.
Nel·lo, Oriol; Muñoz, Francesc (2004). “El proceso de urbanización”. A Romero, Joan (coord.) GeografíaHumana. Procesos, riesgos e incertidumbres en un mundo globalizado (255-332). Barcelona: Ariel.
Urbanization and the on-going urban-territorial transformations at the present moment
Graham, Stephen (2003) The Cybercities Reader. Routledge.
Guifreu, Judit; Manu Fernández (dir. 2016) La utilització temporal dels buits urbans. Col·lecció ‘Estudis’. Sèrie Urbanisme i Habitatge. Diputació de Barcelona.
Ivancic, Aleksandar (2010) Energyscapes. Gustau Gili: Barcelona.
Muñoz, Francesc (2008) Urbanalización: paisajes comunes, lugaresglobales. Gustau Gili, Barcelona.
Muñoz, Francesc (coord. 2011) Estratègies vers la ciutat de baixa densitat. De la contenció a la gestió. Col·lecció ‘Estudis’, 9. Diputació de Barcelona.
World Cities Report (2016). Urbanization and Development. Emerging Futures. UNHABITAT.
World Cities Report (2020). The Value of Sustainable Urbanization. UNHABITAT.
Software
Only basic software knowledge is required (word; excel; ppt files or similar).