Cities & citizens in European History 2800-CAC-USS-1-S1

Cities and Citizens in European history is an introduction to urban history, focusing on urbanisation processes and urban life in Europe. The course defines cities broadly, and considers cities in interaction with each other, in a network of cities, and with their hinterland as well as within their specific environmental context. After an introductory session on urbanisation in the long run, the lectures are focused around three central clusters (citizens, citizenship, and sustainability), which each deal with a type of an urban historical crisis, and a similar response. Each lecture is a collaboration between the University of Antwerp and one or more YUFE-partners. The goal of the course is to showcase the diversity of historical urban crises and responses, and the ways in which history can contribute to contemporary debates on cities and sustainability.
The lectures are recorded digitally in advance, to be seen by the students at their own pace. The course contains two live-digital events, and one live in-person event. The introductory session, and a final “mini-conference” will be held digitally with all students following the course. A local city-walk will be held with the local students.
1. Introduction: What is Urban History? Greet De Block & Jasper Segerink (UA)
2. Urbanisation from a Longterm Perspective. Exploring Europe’s Urban Past Ilja Van Damme (UA)
3. Citizens I - Demographic crisis: migration & health
a. Migration & population in the long run Hilde Greefs (UA)
b. Hospitable Cities? Urban migrant accommodation, 16th-21st centuries, Jasper Segerink (UA)
c. Health transition, demographic transition and urbanisation, 18-20th century, Dubravka Božić Bogović (UNIRI)
4. Citizens II - Response: infrastructure & planning
a. Urban planning. Ideology and politics, Greet De Block (UA)
b. Sick Cities and Healthy Bodies: Architecture and New Housing in German Cities in the early 20th Century, Nadine Rossol (UE)
c. The Socialist City, Brigitte le Normand (MU)
5. Citizenship I - Social crisis: inequality & segregation
a. Inequality in the long run: Sam Geens (UA)
b. Commercial Cities, Oscar Gelderblom (UA)
c. Layers of Division: Urban Form and Social Inequality (20th-21st century) N. Charalambous (UCY)
6. Citizenship II - Response: Welfare & governance
a. Welfare and citizenship in the long run Bert De Munck (UA)
b. Governance and citizenship in a medieval city - between the ideal and the pragmatics in Prussia, Anna Maleszka (NCU)
c. Social housing in the UK and its local governance, David Fée (SNU)
7. Sustainability I - Ecological crisis: city-hinterland relations and production-consumption dynamics
a. Ecological crises in the long run Tim Soens (UA)
b. Medieval city, country and trade - between cooperation and exploitation Cezary Kardasz (NCU)
c. Urban sprawl: solution and problem, Jani Karhu (UEF)
8. Sustainability II - Response: sustainability practices
a. Sustainability practices in the long run Wout Saelens (UA)
b. The social logic of Roman urban neighbourhoods Jesús Bermejo Tirado (U3M)
c. Responses to ecological constraints of urban development in pre-modern Europe, Roman Czaja (NCU)

Total student workload

150 hours for 6 ECTS

Learning outcomes - knowledge

The students: - has knowledge of the history of urbanisation processes in Europe; - has knowledge of case studies of cities illustrating key phenomena related to urbanisation processes; - has knowledge of the basic concepts and definitions related to urban history and urbanisation processes in Europe; - has knowledge of long-term urbanisation processes and their significance for the development of European societies; - has knowledge of the relationships between cities and their hinterland, as well as the role of urban networks in European history; - has knowledge of the main analytical categories in the field of urban history.

Learning outcomes - skills

The student: - is able to describe urbanisation processes, in the long-term, with examples of European cities; - has an understanding of key topics such as inequality, migration, citizenship, transport, consumption, urban governance, and environment in European history; - has an understanding of urban development in relation to other socio-spatial dimensions such as countryside, state, and overseas territories; - is able to compare urban development between different cities and regions.

Learning outcomes - social competencies

The student: - is able to critically relate current issues like migration, environmental crisis, and territorial integration, to the history of cities and citizens in Europe; - is aware of the social and cultural diversity of European cities and demonstrates sensitivity to different historical and contemporary urban experiences; - is competent to engage in informed and respectful discussion on urban challenges in an international and interdisciplinary context

Course coordinators

Anna Maleszka

Teaching methods

lectures, presentations, discussions, field work, project work

Type of course

compulsory course

Prerequisites

Speaking, writing, reading, and comprehending of English.

Assessment criteria

The evaluation will be done by UAntwerp, and consists of:
- A written, closed book exam containing questions relating to concepts, theories, and insights based on the lectures and the literature (80%)
- An individual assignment. The assignment consists of taking a photograph from the home-city (potentially during the city walk) and writing a short text (1-2 A4’s), relating it to one or more of the themes addressed in the lectures (20%). During the mini-conference, the student will pitch their picture during a short presentation (pass/fail-principle).

Bibliography

- Powerpoints, recordings, and individual notes
- Required reading:
o Clark, Peter, European Cities & Towns, 400-2000, Oxford University Press, 2009.
o Harris, Richard, How Cities Matter, Cambridge University Press, 2021.

Additional information

Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system:

Description of 2800-CAC-USS-1-S1 in USOSweb