Critical Transformations 2007/08

Lecture Series delivered by Dr Ines Weizman (Autumn Semester)

Social and political discourses have recently been placed at the forefront of cultural practice. This can be seen in the art/culture world’s engagement with social and political critique and its search for ways of intervention and action. This module emphasizes the social and political perspective of space making at the scale of the city. It is an introduction to key concepts in urban history and theory from the 19th century until the present. It addresses historical and contemporary processes of migration, issues of politics, mapping, architecture and urban regeneration. Episodes of architectural and urban theory are placed in the context of political and cultural transformations, and in particular in the context of the changing geopolitical conditions by which the contemporary city is shaped. The module also investigates how different urban practitioners (rebels, soldiers, politicians, architects, artists, users and dwellers) intervened in the transformation of the city. It presents examples of new strands in current urban practices, particularly those focused on ‘design as research’. The focus is particularly on developing a cultural and political critique of planning practices, aiming to open an interdisciplinary debate, but also to assume the tools to form a position regarding existing planning strategies.

The lecture series will go through a wide range of geographical and historical references that will include industrial revolution era Europe, the economic, urban and cultural transformations of Eastern Europe in the last two decades – marked firstly by the collapse of the Iron Curtain and recently by the enlargement of the European Union, military urbanism and security culture, immaterial labour and city centres, and transformation of non-European cities. The transformations could be understood in their particularity, but could also serve as catalysts to reconsider and conceptualise urban changes in the UK.

The posters attached below list the essay titles by participants as they were presented in mid-term in a so-called "Student Marathon".

A selection of final essays will be posted soon.