Course info
SEES0090: Cities in Eastern Europe (21-22)
During the 20th and 21st century, Eastern European cities have been
characterized by radical upheavals and reconfigurations: most dramatically,
by wartime annihilations of human beings and built fabrics; and most
lastingly, by the attempt to build and to unbuild something known as the
'socialist city'. This course will explore the urban experience of Eastern
Europe through the prism of socialism and post-socialism. Students will be
encouraged to reflect on the following key questions: What was the
‘socialist city’, both in the imaginations of its ideologues and in
‘actually-existing’ form? How did the socialist city differ from the
pre-socialist city, and how did it unravel following the crumbling of the
regimes, which conceived and built it? How do the forms, aesthetics and
political economies of socialist urbanism continue to linger, persist and
reproduce themselves today? Sessions will take place on Friday afternoon,
between 4pm-6pm. The first hour will take the form of an online lecture
(broken up into three shorter sections and punctuated by short group work
activities); the second hour will be devoted to student presentations (see
below) and free-flowing discussion of the readings and topic. Assessment
will be by means of one 2,500 word essay (BA); and one 3,500 word essay
(MA), due on 11th May 2020. Student presentations Each week, one student
will be asked to give a ten-minute presentation on a topic of their choice.
On the first session following reading week, students will also be asked to
submit a submit an 800-word “review” of a book, film, city or building.
Although this review will not be assessed, submission is compulsory and
feedback will be provided.
Course contacts
Tutor
UB
GD
TL
Course Administrator
AN
KS
ET