S1306 Cities, Global Change and Sustainable Development

The course examines the process of mass urbanization and the environmental, economic and social changes taking place in cities around the world as a result of globalization and it discusses major challenges in achieving a more sustainable urban development. Drawing on theories of globalization, development, and sustainability, we will consider how the global context shapes changes and policy issues in cities, making more complex our understanding of social life in urban places. Cities are growing rapidly, both in terms of population and their over-consumptive use of land: over half of the world's population now lives in cities and, as a result, urban social and economic systems have expanded and now they constitute the engine of change and growth, economically and socially. Furthermore, cities are also the primary consumers of natural resources and energy, and the major creators of waste.
Earth's ecosystems are increasingly influenced by both the pace and patterns of urban growth. The future of ecosystems will depend upon our ability to make urban regions sustainable. Urban regions are major determinants of global and continental scale changes through land transformation and modification of biogeochemical processes. The knowledge and understanding of the city as an integrated system will be our major goal.
City-regions are replacing nation-economies in most countries, both developed and underdeveloped. In developing countries mega city and city-regions are widely spread and cities are facing challenges that range from increasing competition for economic growth, to environmental protection versus economic development, housing reform and slum upgrading in the process of urban renewal, and rising conflicts over land use and property rights
This course is designed to provide students with an opportunity to critically examine the relationship between cities, the environment, economies and global change, and it offers the tools to envisage how further globalization will affect those relations. Venice and its Lagoon will be proposed as a case study; it has been a true global city in the past and it is still now, yet from a very different perspective, as one of the world-class city and a people' patrimony.

Learning objectives:
To develop an understanding of the processes of urbanization, global change and growth, in developed and developing countries.
To develop an understanding of the concept of cities as coupled human natural systems.
To foster the ability to assess current environmental, economic and social urban issues and problems in the context of further globalization.
To gain experience in understanding global cities sustainability issues and demands and to develop capacity to envision sustainable solutions and answers.
To demonstrate the acquired capacities and understanding in studying the case of Venice and its Lagoon.

Course organisation and topics:
The course is divided in 3 modules organized in lectures.
Lectures are mainly aimed at providing a theoretical introduction and consistent knowledge blocks, and they will be conducted by researches, guests and field experts. Field trips and vision of videos and movies are to be considered essential part of the programme.

Module I: Cities, global change and urban ecology
- Key ideas about urbanism in historical perspective;
- Cities and urban studies;
- Key ideas and concepts on the demographic, economic and social aspects of cities;
- Urban growth and the environment;
- Cities as Coupled Human-Natural Systems
- Complexity and Resilience in Urban Ecosystems
- Urban Planning under Uncertainty
- Integrated Modeling and Scenario Planning
- The changing nature of urban economies and societies and their relationships with changes at the local and global levels
- Urban sustainability and well being .

Module II: Cities in developing countries
- Development Challenges Facing Cities in Developing Countries under Globalization
- Cities as Industrial Cluster;
- Determinants of Urban Growth in Developing Countries
- The Struggle between Environmental Protection and Development in Developing Countries
- Urban Renewal and Slum Upgrading
- Land Tenure and Property Rights

Module III: Living in cities in time of global change: the case of Venice and its Lagoon
- The city and its environment in historical perspective;
- Current economic and social issues and policies;
- The safeguard of Venice and its Lagoon;
- Developing visions for a sustainable Venice;

Evaluation Method

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Intermediate evaluation 30%

Individual two pages summary/essay for each module

Evaluation: 5 to 10 for each of the 3 modules

Criteria: completeness and clarity

Final Evaluation 40%

Final Paper teamwork and % of final grade

Evaluation criteria: originality; structure; clarity; style.

Each criteria has four possible values: 10; 7.5; 6; 5

Attendance/class participation 20%

Up to 3=20; 4-5=15; 6-7=10; Over 7=0

Student presentations (10%)

evaluation criteria: clarity and time , each 1 to 5

Final paper  about 6/7000 words

Choose one topic related to the themes treated during the course

Aim: to demonstrate you are able to apply the concepts learnt during the course to the critical analysis of specific issue

Format 10 and 12 pages including references