Local and Regional Development
Code: 44465 ECTS Credits: 6| Degree | Type | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Territorial Studies and Planning | OP | 1 |
Contact
- Name:
- Maria Antonia Casellas Puigdemasa
- Email:
- antonia.casellas@uab.cat
Teachers
- Esteve Dot Jutglā
Teaching groups languages
You can view this information at the end of this document.
Prerequisites
None of specific.
Objectives and Contextualisation
The aim of this module is to deepen the knowledge of the dynamics of urban and regional development . The course has two main objectives: understanding the dynamics of territorial growth and decline. The broader context in which the course is framed is the current restructuring of local and regional economies and the accelerated technological change, economic internationalization, as well as conflicts between economic, social and ecological interests. Classes will be held in the form of a seminar with a discussion format, for this reason students must bring readings for discussion in class.
At the end of the course, the student must be familiar with each of the following four areas:
- Economic theories that explain the location of economic activities and the growth or decline of local / regional economies.
- The consequences of local / regional economic growth and development in terms of the distribution of benefits and costs in space and between different interest groups.
- Proposed public policies to encourage economic development and its influence on spatial planning and the distribution of benefits and costs resulting from development.
- The inherent shortcomings and advantages of alternative models of economic viability.
Learning Outcomes
- CA04 (Competence) Demonstrate the multidimensional nature of territorial and urban analysis through local and territorial development models that incorporate proposals for the environmental, economic, social and political systems.
- CA05 (Competence) Collaborate as part of multidisciplinary teams and analyse and interpret territorial conflict, providing responses and management mechanisms.
- CA06 (Competence) Organise development proposals that rebalance territories both socially and economically and on several scales.
- KA04 (Knowledge) Identify inequalities and territorial imbalances in spaces where new technologies are also present.
- KA05 (Knowledge) List the local, territorial and urban development policies that are most relevant to the instruments available.
- KA06 (Knowledge) Define the principles of environmental ecology in relation to integrated territorial management at different levels (neighbourhood, municipality, metropolis and region).
- KA07 (Knowledge) Link levels of local development with social and territorial imbalances in different urban, peri-urban and peripheral areas.
- SA03 (Skill) Analyse local, territorial and urban development proposals on the basis of development and sustainability.
- SA04 (Skill) Present viable proposals for conflict resolution and choose between the alternatives put forward in local and urban development models.
Content
- Theories and debates around the concept of local and territorial development.
- Sustainability and the environmental crisis: re-positioning development.
- Globalization, production models and crisis. Territorial, social and economic implications.
- Economic diversity and Community Economies: thinking beyond traditional economic models.
- Fundamental Economics: new theoretical approaches and methodologies for local and regional development.
- Notions and perspectives of gender in development at different scales.
- Social capital as a tool for territorial development.
- Development policies and social agents. Governance, power regimes and social agents.
- The development and use of space linked to new technologies and the knowledge economy.
- The role of the state and the public sector as an agent of local and regional development.
The teaching of this subject will be carried out mainly in Catalan.
Activities and Methodology
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type: Directed | |||
| Attend scheduled conferences | 1 | 0.04 | |
| Exhibition of bibliographic comments in class | 4 | 0.16 | |
| Field trip | 3 | 0.12 | |
| Lectures with ICT support, exemplification and case study | 25 | 1 | |
| Type: Supervised | |||
| Follow-up review of bibliographic comments and other activities | 21 | 0.84 | |
| Individual specialized tutorials | 5 | 0.2 | |
| Type: Autonomous | |||
| Find information about cases | 12.5 | 0.5 | |
| Preparation of bibliographic comments | 22.5 | 0.9 | |
| Study and reserach work | 56 | 2.24 |
- The teaching sessions are organized in two parts. The first consists of theoretical sessions, in which students will present and discuss readings - occasionally, a guest speaker may intervene. The second part is dedicated to practical sessions, during which students work in small groups (of 2 or 3 people) designing a local development strategy focused on the territory analyzed in the first semester's main topic or a territory of their interest.
- Students must individually do at least two reviews of class readings in accordance with the requirements expressed by the teaching staff and present them.
- A field trip of about 5 hours of work with the teaching staff present is planned.
- Each member of the groups will present their research at the end of the course.
Note: 15 minutes of a class will be reserved, within the calendar established by the center/degree, for students to complete the surveys to evaluate the performance of the teaching staff and to evaluate the subject/module.
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.
Assessment
Continous Assessment Activities
| Title | Weighting | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Attendance and participation | 10% | 0 | 0 | CA04, CA05, CA06, KA04, KA05, KA06, KA07, SA03, SA04 |
| Bibliographic reviews, and questionnaires of some conferences | 30% | 0 | 0 | CA05, KA04, KA05, KA06, KA07, SA03, SA04 |
| Field trip report | 15% | 0 | 0 | CA04, KA04, KA05, KA06, KA07, SA03 |
| Research project | 45% | 0 | 0 | CA04, CA05, CA06, KA04, KA05, KA06, KA07, SA03, SA04 |
The assessment of the knowledge and skills acquired will be based on four components:
1. A research project in a group of 2 or 3 people and presentation at the end of the course. A minimum score of 5 out of 10 must be obtained to pass: 45%.
2. Article reviews will be included as part of the presentations that will be made in class, in groups or individually: 30%.
3. Attendance and participation in class and other elements that assess the integration and monitoring of the course. It will be necessary to attend 80% of classes and participate in the activities to pass the assessment: 10%.
4. Field trip report: 15%.
Information to take into account:
-If the average grade for the subject is less than 5, the student will have to go for remediation. Remediation will involve additional individual research work.
-To participate in the reevaluation, students must have been previously assessed in a set of activities whose weight is equivalent to a minimum of 2/3 of the total grade.
-The student will receive the grade of "Not assessable" if they have submitted zero evidence of learning or have submitted assignments that represent up to 1/3 of the total grade. If they exceed this threshold, the final grade for the subject can no longer be "Not assessable" and will be graded based on the evidence of learning provided.
-This subject does not provide for the single assessment system
Plagiarism:
If the student commits any irregularity that could lead to a significant variation in the grade of an assessment, this assessment will be graded 0, regardless of the disciplinary process that may be initiated. If several irregularities occur in the assessment acts of the same subject, the final grade for this subject will be 0.
Artificial Intelligence:
Restricted Use: This subject allows the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies exclusively in tasks of [to be defined, for example bibliographic research or information search, text correction or translations,...]. The student must (i) identify the parts that have been generated with AI; (ii) specify the tools used; and (iii) include a critical reflection on how these have influenced the process and the final result of the activity. The lack of transparency of the use of AI in this assessable activity will be considered a lack of academic honesty and will result in the activity being assessed with a 0 and not being able to be recovered, or greater sanctions in serious cases.
Avaluations assessmentin which there have been irregularities (copying, misuse of AI, etc.) are not recoverable.
Bibliography
Required readings will be given on the first day of class.
Ameridyani, A., Tokito, M., & Saizen, I. (2025). Towards community-driven rural development: Path of women group in empowering rural Women’s capacities and role in rural development. World Development Perspectives, 39, 100700.
Bauman, Z. (2015). Modernidad líquida. Fondo de cultura económica.
Casellas, A. (2010) "La geografia crítica y el discurso de la sostenibilidad: Perspectivas y Acciones" Documents d'Anàlisi Geogràfica 56/3, 2010, p. 575-583.
Casellas, A.; Poli, C. (2013) "Planificación urbana e innovación: De la tecnología y la práctica profesional a la innovación social y política" Documents d´Anàlisi Geogràfica 59 (3), 435-454.
Casellas, A. (2014). "Desarrollo local y territorio. Del crecimiento indiscriminado a la viabilidad socialy
económica". Àrea de Desenvolupament Econòmic y Social. Diputació de Barcelona. http://www1.diba.cat/llibreria/pdf/54054.pdf
Casellas, A. (Ed.) 2022. J.K. Gibson-Graham. Hacia una economía postcapitalista o cómo retomar el control de lo cotidiano. Varcelona: Icaria, Colección Espacios Críticos.
Cima, O. (2021). The" failure" of cooperatives in Kyrgyzstan? A postcapitalist critique of a biased narrative. Geographica Augustana, 33.
Cima, O., & Wasilewska, E. (2023). Sensing Urban Manufacturing: From Conspicuous to Sensible Production. Urban Planning, 8(4), 198-210.
Crutzen, P. J. (2006). The “anthropocene”. In Earth system science in the anthropocene (pp. 13-18). Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer Berlin Heidelberg.
de Landázuri, M. C. O. (2017). De la biopolítica a la psicopolítica en el pensamiento social de Byung-Chul Han. Athenea digital, 17(1), 187-203.
Dot, E.; Casellas, A.; Pallarès-Barberà, M. (2010) "L'ambigüitat de la producció intensiva en coneixement: el nou espai econòmic del Poblenou", Documents d'Anàlisi Geogràfica 56/3, 2010, p. 389-408.
Halfacree, K.; Kovách, I.; Woodward, R. (eds) (2002) Leadership and Local Power in European Rural Development, Aldershot (England): Ashgate Publishing Ltd.
Gallardo, J. C. R. (2015). La sociedad del cansancio de Byung-Chul Han. Prospectiva: Revista de Trabajo Social e Intervención Social, (20), 465-471.
Gibson-Graham, J.K. (2006) A Postcapitalist Politics. Minneapolis: Uni. of Minnesota Press. Gibson-
Graham, J.K. (1996) The End of Capitalism (As We Knew It): A Feminist Critique of Political Economy With New Introduction. Minneapolis: Uni. of Minnesota Press.
Gibson-Graham, J.K. (2008). "Diverse Economies: Performative Practices for 'Other Worlds'. Progress in Human Geography 32 (5), p.1-20.
Gibson-Graham, JK (2011). "A Feminist Project of Belonging for the Anthropocene", Gender, Place and Culture, vol. 18, no. 1, pp. 1-21.
Guirado, C. Badia, A.; Tulla, A.F.; Vera, A.; Valldeperas, N. (2013) "L'Agricultura Social. Aproximació teòrica i dimensió en el context europeu", Biblio 3W. Volumen XVIII, nº 1046.
Malizia, E. E., Feser, E. J., Renski, H., & Drucker, J. (2021). Understanding local economic development (Second edition.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780367815134.
Martos Martínez, C. (2023). Key Elements for Local Development: Practical Examples for Teaching. Universidad de Jaén.
Pike, A.,Rodríguez-Pose, A., & Tomaney, J. (2014). “Local and regional development in the Global North and South”. Progress in Development Studies, 14(1), 21-30.
Poli, C. (2010) "Sustainable Development: from Fallacy to Fraud", Human Geography. A new Radical Journal, Vol. 3 ,2, p. 63-82.
Raj Singh, B. V., & Batar, A. K. (2024). SustainableLocal Development for Environmental and Social Sustainability. (1st ed.). Springer International Publishing AG.
Steffen, W., Broadgate, W., Deutsch, L., Gaffney, O., & Ludwig, C. (2015). The trajectory of the Anthropocene: the great acceleration. The anthropocene review, 2(1), 81-98.
Venter, M. (Ed.). (2022). Promoting sustainable local economic development initiatives : case studies. AOSIS.
Software
None specific.
Groups and Languages
Please note that this information is provisional until 30 November 2025. You can check it through this link. To consult the language you will need to enter the CODE of the subject.
| Name | Group | Language | Semester | Turn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (TEm) Theory (master) | 1 | Catalan/Spanish | second semester | afternoon |