Modular value: 20 credits
Teaching: 2 hours of seminars weekly
Lecturers: Adrian Campbell and Dr Elena Denezhkina
This module reviews and analyses the changing roles of and relationships between states and cities in the context of globalisation. It takes as its starting point the currently popular idea of a shift away from vertical governance (based on the nation state) towards horizontal governance (based on international urban networks). It places this contemproary trend in the context of the history of states and cities as institutions, and the degree to which there are fundamental differences between the ways in which cities, as opposed to states, operate.
The module then looks at individual country cases to assess how the state-city relationship is evolving, and the implications for economic, political and institutional development. The cases focus on Europe and Asia in an attempt to explain and assess differences or convergence in the state-city relationship. The themes arising from the comparison of European and Asia cases are relevant to other continents and may be applied to analyse emerging trends regarding the respective roles of cities and nation states in international political economy.
The first five sessions focus on the different paths followed in the historical development of states and cities in Europe and in Asia, with an emphasis on Russia and the CIS but drawing in comparisons with developments in China, India and Europe. It seeks to identify and elaborate fundamental differences in the logic of development firstly between states and cities as political and economic units, and then to analyse how state-city relationships and contradictions arose in the contrasting contexts of the different states concerned.
The second five sessions review the contemporary relationship between states and cities across the region through the means of case studies. Recent trends in city development drawn from Russia, Ukraine, and China will be interpreted through the context of national policies and in comparison with European models of urban development.
By the end of the module students will be able to:
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identify, critically analyse and compare different models of state and city
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identify, critically analyse and compare different concepts of state and city, influencing international practice in state-city relations and development
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identify and critically analyse the relationship between state and city in the context of the political economy of particular nation states in the region (Russia, China, India, Ukraine)
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draw policy-relevant conclusions regarding the applicability of different international concepts of state and city relations to a given nation state
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identify and compare different models of state and city
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identify and compare different concepts of state and city, influencing international practice in state-city relations and development
-
identify the relationship between state and city in the context of the political economy of particular nation states in the region (Russia, China, India, Ukraine)
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draw policy-relevant conclusions regarding the applicability of different international concepts of state and city relations to a given nation state
Teaching and learning approach
The module will be delivered using a range of teaching and learning methods in a highly participatory environment, including interactive lectures, group discussions, student presentations, case studies and invited speakers.
Assessment
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Two 3,000 word essays, each worth 50% of the marks.
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