400016 SE Urban Globalisation as Postnational Politics: Societal Diversity in Theory and Practice (2020W)

At the centres of states, markets and societies, cities have long been the focus of theorizing and studying the societal conditions and ideological projections of the modern world. At present, globalization gives rise to various crises scenarios as well as cosmopolitan hopes for postnational politics based in plural agencies and legitimacies. Due to their dense and open multi-scalar relations, urban spaces manifest complex contemporary challenges as well as creative responses through diverse contextual interactions e.g., of environment, technology, economy, communication, migration, civil society, culture, governance, international development etc. Reflecting the norms of democracy, capitalism, justice, identity or sustainability through different critiques of neoliberal, postcolonial, postcommunist, gender, race or lay practices, the urban debate is at the core of contemporary societal change.

This doctoral course takes the epistemological diversity of urban research as theoretical and practical lenses to reflect how different conceptions of agency and legitimacy constitute knowledge and power as socio-political processes. Based on selected scholarly texts and the students’ own projects, we will discuss various theoretical and methodological approaches and the mutual relations of political-economic, socio-cultural and cultural-political perspectives in the social science.

Due to the interdisciplinary nature of the urban field, the seminar addresses scholars across the social sciences (e.g., sociology, political science, international development, media studies, anthropology, history, geography, planning). It is of relevance for students at the initial stages of their research conception as well as for advanced doctoral candidates specializing in an urban topic as well as those with wider interests who aim to broaden their perspective or refine their approach. The focus is on theoretical comparison, practical application of theories and qualitative interpretation of case studies for conceptual refinement of research plans.

In addition to theoretical engagement with the literature, the students have the opportunity to discuss and develop their own research projects.
Based on the work in this course, there is the optional opportunity to develop the papers for a joint proposal to a conference panel at the ESA European Sociology Association (to be held 31 Aug-3 Sep 2021 in Barcelona).