300636 Anthropology of/in Urban Spaces (30-M25) (S) (SoSe 2024)

How do we understand cities anthropologically? What is the difference between an anthropology of cities and anthropology in cities? What can anthropology tell us about cities, and what do cities teach us about anthropology? Is there even such a thing as ‘Bielefeld’, ‘Berlin’ or ‘London’ or should we think of them as plural entities, as ‘Bielefelds’ etc?

This course thinks through these issues through a range of readings and some practical exercises. We are talking of anthropology of urban spaces, but also will do much of our research in urban spaces. We will consider what anthropologies of cities should include and gather some of that information through a small number of our own practical exercises. This module involves reading about cities but particularly in part 2, getting out of the library and exploring cities first-hand. For those who live full-time in Bielefeld, all that can be done here. For those who visit other cities during the module, you can also do some exercises there too. These can be done individually or in small groups as you prefer. You may find it helpful to do some of the tasks together and discuss how you look at urban spaces differently.

The course will also allow you to make direct connections between theory and practice in anthropology, and to understand on a personal level the ways in which the two are linked.

Learning objectives
By the end of the course you will be able to:

• Demonstrate an understanding of different issues of studying cities and urban spaces.
• Identify major issues relating urban spaces to the life course, literature and develop arguments around key themes
• Undertake small scale practical research tasks relating to particular questions.

Key skills to develop:
• Discussion skills: able to present ideas clearly, formulate a coherent argument, respond to other ideas constructively, and develop confidence in one’s ability to engage with other people in a discussion.
• Reading skills: able to prepare for the weekly seminars and the essay, identify key arguments and evidence used in a piece of writing and then critically appraising them.
• Writing skills: able to prepare an essay, including the abilities to identify a relevant topic and synthesize academic sources, and construct an original and well-presented argument.
• Research skills: locate information that is relevant to the themes of the module both in literature and in a ‘real-world’ context.
• Self-reliance: able to manage time efficiently and be sufficiently reliable for group work, and to independently locate, evaluate, and use anthropological literature.
• Group work: able to prepare presentations, organize meetings of group members, constructively collaborate, and fully and equally participate.

Requirements for participation, required level

No previous knowledge is required.

Bibliography

Low, S.M. 1996. ‘The Anthropology of Cities: imagining and theorising the city’ in Annual Review of Anthropology 25 pp.383-409.

Low, S.M. 1999. Theorizing the City: the new urban anthropology reader. Rutgers University Press.