Universität Wien

290103 SE Seminar in Human Geography: Urban Complexity and Systems Thinking (2023W)

5.00 ECTS (2.00 SWS), SPL 29 - Geographie
Continuous assessment of course work
Moodle

Registration/Deregistration

Note: The time of your registration within the registration period has no effect on the allocation of places (no first come, first served).

Details

max. 20 participants
Language: English

Lecturers

Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N

Die Einheit am 18.1. findet ausnahmsweise im Übungsraum der KSA statt. (NIG A0414)

  • Thursday 05.10. 09:45 - 11:15 Seminarraum Geographie NIG 5.OG C0528
  • Thursday 12.10. 09:45 - 11:15 Seminarraum Geographie NIG 5.OG C0528
  • Thursday 19.10. 09:45 - 11:15 Seminarraum Geographie NIG 5.OG C0528
  • Thursday 09.11. 09:45 - 11:15 Seminarraum Geographie NIG 5.OG C0528
  • Thursday 16.11. 09:45 - 11:15 Seminarraum Geographie NIG 5.OG C0528
  • Thursday 23.11. 09:45 - 11:15 Seminarraum Geographie NIG 5.OG C0528
  • Thursday 30.11. 09:45 - 11:15 Seminarraum Geographie NIG 5.OG C0528
  • Thursday 07.12. 09:45 - 11:15 Seminarraum Geographie NIG 5.OG C0528
  • Thursday 14.12. 09:45 - 11:15 Seminarraum Geographie NIG 5.OG C0528
  • Thursday 11.01. 09:45 - 11:15 Seminarraum Geographie NIG 5.OG C0528
  • Thursday 18.01. 09:45 - 11:15 Ort in u:find Details
  • Thursday 25.01. 09:45 - 11:15 Seminarraum Geographie NIG 5.OG C0528

Information

Aims, contents and method of the course

The analysis of urban systems, especially in terms of the various struggles they face with regards to climate change and socioeconomic inequalities, require a theoretically grounded systems lens that allows for complexity to be both understood and embraced. More specifically, a systems lens recognizes that urban systems are the sum of a range of various social, technical, and ecological subsystems that interact across spatial, temporal and hierarchical scales. In turn, these interactions produce a magnitude of unexpected consequences and behavior that is not possible to predict by simply having knowledge of one system component, but instead must be studied through their interrelations.
 
Therefore, the aim of this course is to teach students the fundamental pillars of complex adaptive systems, and how their properties, such as feedback loops, path dependency, self-organization and non-linear emergent behavior, adaptation, and resilience, are vital for analyzing cities. By better understanding how macro-level patterns emerge from the interactions at lower levels, one can more effectively identify structural fractures and thereby, coordinate inclusive and equitable urban sustainability transformations.
 
From a practical perspective, this course will compliment theoretical knowledge with numerous case studies that enable students to apply and train their complex systems lens. Additionally, students will build practical skills, as they will learn to use Vensim (open-sourced) software, which is one of the main tools for building system models, and in the case of this course, building Causal Loop Diagrams, which illustrate the relationships, and specifically, the balancing and reinforcing feedback loops, in complex systems. It is through this combination of theoretical knowledge and practical skills, that this course will help students to analyze complex urban systems, view the world around them with a new perspective, and develop inclusive solutions that strengthen resilience capacities and support urban sustainability transformations.

Assessment and permitted materials

More details on assessment and materials will be provided via Moodle after course registration.

Minimum requirements and assessment criteria

20% of final mark: Active participation and contribution to in-class discussions
40% of final mark: Group Case Study Presentations
40% of final mark: Academic Paper based on an Individual Case Study

For a positive final assessment, the seminar paper must be passed. A positive final assessment is only given if all minimum requirements have been met.

Examination topics

See assessment criteria.

Reading list

see Moodle

Association in the course directory

(MR3-PI) (MA UF GW 02-1)

Last modified: We 22.11.2023 10:28