Module Descriptors
GLOBAL CITIES
GEOG50220
Key Facts
Faculty of Computing, Engineering and Sciences
Level 5
15 credits
Contact
Leader: Allan Watson
Email: A.Watson@staffs.ac.uk
Hours of Study
Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities: 25
Independent Study Hours: 125
Total Learning Hours: 150
Assessment
- EXAMINATION - UNSEEN IN EXAMINATION CONDITIONS weighted at 50%
- REPORT weighted at 50%
Module Details
Module Additional Assessment Details
1. A descriptive case-study report, 1250-1500 words in length. [Learning outcomes: 1 to 6].
2. A two hour exam consisting of a short questions section (50%) and a seen essay question (50%). [Learning outcomes: 1 to 5].
Additional Assessment Details:
The report will examine the global cities literature with relation to a specific global city selected from a given list.
Formative Assessment:
Elements of the case-study workshops will be student-led and conducted in small groups in order to foster team-working skills, discuss and present initial ideas and collect data together. Students will be provided with the opportunity to receive feedback on their coursework report plans, and will receive feedback from lecturer and peers on workshop presentations, which will feed directly into case study reports.
2. A two hour exam consisting of a short questions section (50%) and a seen essay question (50%). [Learning outcomes: 1 to 5].
Additional Assessment Details:
The report will examine the global cities literature with relation to a specific global city selected from a given list.
Formative Assessment:
Elements of the case-study workshops will be student-led and conducted in small groups in order to foster team-working skills, discuss and present initial ideas and collect data together. Students will be provided with the opportunity to receive feedback on their coursework report plans, and will receive feedback from lecturer and peers on workshop presentations, which will feed directly into case study reports.
Module Indicative Content
This module seeks to provide an in-depth analysis of the role of Global Cities in globalisation and the world economy.
The module will be broken down into three themes which together will guide students through the concepts of global city and cities in globalisation. These themes will be 1) Global Cities: Key Concepts; 2) Cities in Globalisation; and 3) The Culture of Global Cities. The variety of networks comprising different aspects of globalization - economic, cultural, social, and political - will feature in the module.
The concepts of world city, global city, cities in globalization, and mega-city will be explored, and the ideas of leading theorists such as Hall, Friedmann, Castells, Sassen, and Taylor will be covered and critiqued, through the course of the module.
The module will be broken down into three themes which together will guide students through the concepts of global city and cities in globalisation. These themes will be 1) Global Cities: Key Concepts; 2) Cities in Globalisation; and 3) The Culture of Global Cities. The variety of networks comprising different aspects of globalization - economic, cultural, social, and political - will feature in the module.
The concepts of world city, global city, cities in globalization, and mega-city will be explored, and the ideas of leading theorists such as Hall, Friedmann, Castells, Sassen, and Taylor will be covered and critiqued, through the course of the module.
Module Learning Strategies
The module will be delivered through a combination of:
1) 10 weekly 2-hour lectures that will deliver substantive knowledge and introduce key theories, concepts, models and case-studies.
2) 5 hours of workshops which will look at specific case studies of global cities, including student-led activities.
3) Independent learning through guided reading, project work and the use of internet sites.
It is essential for this module that independent reading, preparation of the written assessment, and revision for the exam, are undertaken concurrently through the course of the module using the 125 hours of allocated independent learning time, as all three activities inform each other.
1) 10 weekly 2-hour lectures that will deliver substantive knowledge and introduce key theories, concepts, models and case-studies.
2) 5 hours of workshops which will look at specific case studies of global cities, including student-led activities.
3) Independent learning through guided reading, project work and the use of internet sites.
It is essential for this module that independent reading, preparation of the written assessment, and revision for the exam, are undertaken concurrently through the course of the module using the 125 hours of allocated independent learning time, as all three activities inform each other.
Module Texts
Taylor, P (2004) World City Network: A Global Urban Analysis. London: Routledge.
Sassen (2001) The Global City. Princeton, NJ: Princeton UP.
Sassen, S (2000) Cities in a World Economy. Thousand Oaks, CA: Pine Forge.
Castells M (2000) The Rise of the Network Society. Oxford: Blackwell.
Sassen (2001) The Global City. Princeton, NJ: Princeton UP.
Sassen, S (2000) Cities in a World Economy. Thousand Oaks, CA: Pine Forge.
Castells M (2000) The Rise of the Network Society. Oxford: Blackwell.
Module Resources
University Library, Sciences Learning Resource Centre, Internet and Email facilities.