Heritage and Transformation in Regional and Urban Studies
Kulturerbe und Transformation in der Regional- und Stadtforschung
6 CPSummerEN
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 regional and urban perspectives in the context of transformation processes. We consider how heritage can become central to overlapping discourses on these transformation processes as well as 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
The aims of this module are: • To understand regional and urban transformation processes and controversies around heritage in terms of e.g. spatial planning, governance and politics, built environment, socio-cultural, architectural traditions in the context of transformation processes. • To develop knowledge of the interfaces between heritage studies and regional and urban studies. • To critically interrogate “heritage” as a concept and its position in regional and urban development, grasping the interplay between material, cultural, economic and political dimensions in the making of regions and cities around the world
Assessment
• 20% Presentation (15 minutes per student) • 80% Research paper (3000-3500 words including references)
Literature (1)
- The bibliography will be presented in class.
Source: BTU's module description · retrieved 29 Sep 2026Original