Heritage in Urban and Regional Studies
Kulturerbe in Stadt- und Regionalforschung
6 CPSummerENno longer offered
Contents
Heritage is central to contemporary towns, cities and regions today. From industrial sites, through ancient ruins, to festivals heritage can be understood in terms of constituent elements of a city or region or it can be used more expansively to the city/ region in general as a spatial-cultural quality of e.g. an urban centre or regional landscape. Urban/ landscape heritage is central to policy, planning and politics, becoming embroiled in approaches to and conflicts over urbanisation, deindustrialisation, tourism, social and cultural identities and urban/ regional democracy. This module examines the spatial politics and geographies of heritage from urban and regional perspectives. We consider how heritage can become central to overlapping discourses on identities, built environment, urban/ regional history and plans for the future of towns, cities and regions. We consider how heritage can contribute to spatial inequalities and conflicts over public space, identity, community and economic development. We engage critically with concepts of urban and regional heritage from their emergence in mid-20th century Europe. Empirically, we focus on diverse global contexts, in both the Global North (e.g. Western Europe, post-socialist countries) and South (Africa, Asia).
Learning outcomes
This aims of this module are: • To understand urban and regional transformation processes and controversies around heritage in terms of e.g. spatial planning, governance and politics, built environment, socio-cultural, architectural traditions. • To develop knowledge of the interfaces between heritage studies and urban and regional studies. • To critically interrogate urban and landscape “heritage” as a concept and its position in urban and regional development, grasping the interplay between material, cultural, economic and political dimensions in the making of cities and regions around the world.
Assessment
20% Presentation (10 minutes per student) 80% Research paper (3000-3500 words including references)
Literature (1)
- The bibliography will be presented in class.
Remarks
In the event that the module cannot be taught or tested according to the present description (e.g. for reasons of infection protection), the alternatives communicated on relevant platforms (e.g. homepage or Moodle) apply.
Source: BTU's module description · retrieved 18 Oct 2026Original