More than half the world’s population currently lives in cities, and the proportion continues to increase. At the same time, urban areas occupy only the 2% of the earth’s surface. But what the city is? In which way is it defined, studied, identified? The course discusses these main questions and deals with the evolution of urban knowledge, the historical and contemporary processes of urbanisation, the nature of urban systems and the relationship with non-urban areas. The main issues of the contemporary city will be identified and discussed, with particular reference to European cities. The course is a survey of both the historical and contemporary development of the urban phenomena and urban geographical approaches to urban analysis. Addressing a wide range of theoretical and methodological approaches and introducing the key concepts of contemporary urban geography debate, the course questions urban forms and processes as they are shaped by, and as they shape, their social, cultural, economic and physical contexts and discusses the challenges facing cities today.

- Acquisition of the lexicon and the basic concepts of urban and regional geography - Knowledge of the evolution of the theoretical and methodological approaches in social sciences dealing with urban knowledge - Ability to Identify current urban challenges - Skills to independently carry out a geographical description of an urban place, through the application of the concepts and methodologies presented during the lessons

Basic knowledge of urban theories

The course is divided into three parts and addresses the following topics: - urban geography and urban design (10 h) - The urban phenomenon: the evolution of the urban knowledge and the main features of the contemporary city) (25 h) - Sources and methods: quantitative and qualitative methodologies (25 h)

In the first and second part of the course, only frontal lessons are provided. The third part involves both frontal lessons (15 h) and a practical activity (10h) aimed at the application of qualitative survey methodologies for the description of an urban space. This activity will take place in groups of 3 students and will be held in the classroom under the tutor's guidance, beyond the study visits. The result of this activity will be evaluated before the examination (according to a grid that includes three classes: positive / average / sufficient). During the exam, it will be the object of the first question. Students who carried out the practical activity, but are not satisfied with their evaluation, can still decide to get the exam following the syllabus for those who did not carry out the practical activity.

Brenner N. and Schmidt C. (2014), The ‘Urban Age’ in Question, International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Gates R. and Stout F. (eds), (2015), The City Reader, London and NY: Routledge, pp. 89-113; 149-161; 180-214. Scott A.J. e M. Storper (2015) “The nature of cities. The scope and limits of urban theory” International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, 39, pp. 1-15. Additional references, if needed, will be provided during the course and uploaded on the Portale della Didattica. Additional references are considered as optional readings.

Modalità di esame: Prova orale obbligatoria; Elaborato scritto prodotto in gruppo;

Two ways of exam are previewed: - For attending students (i.e. the students carrying out the practical activity): the exam takes place in an oral form and involves two questions: the first is based on the exercise (explanation of the work done, results obtained, applied methodologies); the second is based on the references 1 and 2 of the list. The evaluation of the practical activity is based on a group work and is considered as the starting point for the exam of the individual students, whose final grades can vary considerably. - For not attending students (i.e. students who don’t carry out the practical activity): the exam takes place in an oral form and involves three questions based on all the references and dealing with the main issues discuss during the course.

Modalità di esame: Prova orale obbligatoria; Elaborato scritto prodotto in gruppo;

Two ways of exam are previewed: - For attending students (i.e. the students carrying out the practical activity): the exam takes place in an oral form and involves two questions: the first is based on the exercise (explanation of the work done, results obtained, applied methodologies); the second is based on the references 1 and 2 of the list. The evaluation of the practical activity is based on a group work and is considered as the starting point for the exam of the individual students, whose final grades can vary considerably. - For not attending students (i.e. students who don’t carry out the practical activity): the exam takes place in an oral form and involves three questions based on all the references and dealing with the main issues discuss during the course.