Admission requirements
Completion of Year 1; this course is aimed at second and third-year students.
Description
What is a city? This is a fascinating question on its own, and one that we will discuss in the course. Yet, it becomes even more interesting when we also consider that urbanization is an identifiable challenge globally. The United Nations estimates that about 67 percent of the world’s population will be living in an urban place by 2050. What challenges will accommodating so much of the global population in non-food producing spaces present? Importantly, though in light of population size and the climate crisis is to consider the ways in which cities are sustainable spaces. Of course, by sustainable we need to consider this as a balance between respecting the environment and what is needed for comfortable and equitable human habitation. Therefore, what needs to change for cities to be more sustainable.
Over the span of the block we will explore sustainability within urban spaces through a number of different topics that will include the historical development of cities and their relationship to nature, the role of urban green space, climate change and resilience, food supplies, transportation, pollution and waste, infrastructure, and finally environmental justice. A number of these many topics overlap and therefore will be addressed in tandem.
Course Objectives
Skills
Student will apply theoretical concepts from readings and class discussions to their observations of the landscape of real cities. [Transect Walk; City Comparison Project]
Student will write for a public audience on key sustainability themes. [Essay]
Students will practice collaboration skills. [City Comparison Project]
Knowledge
Students will compare and contrast historical and modern urban processes. [Participation; Essay; City Comparison Project; Final Exam]
Students will investigate the variety of urban sustainability challenges globally. [Essay; City Comparison Project]
Students will be able to identify and explain foundational concepts in the academic study of cities and sustainability such as morphology, infrastructure, climate change, and green spaces. [Participation; Transect Walk; Final Exam]
Timetable
Timetables for courses offered at Leiden University College in 2025-2026 will be published on this page of the e-Prospectus.
Mode of instruction
This course will proceed primarily as a seminar, meeting for two 2-hour sessions per week. Each class will center on discussion of the assigned reading, with introductory remarks or a short lecture by the instructor. The instructor may also provide reading questions in advance of a class. Students will regularly work in groups during class to investigate solutions to problems related to the day’s topic.
Assessment Method
Engagement, 15%, Weeks 1-7
Sustainability Challenge at Home (Essay), 20%, Week 2
City Comparison Project (Group presentation), 15%, Week 4
Transect Walk, 15%, Week 6
Final Exam, 35%, Week 8
Reading list
The reading for the first week and similar relevant information will be emailed to the class at least one week before the start of the course.
Registration
Courses offered at Leiden University College (LUC) are usually only open to LUC students and LUC exchange students. Leiden University students who participate in one of the university’s Honours tracks or programmes may register for one LUC course, if availability permits. Registration is coordinated by the Education Coordinator, course.administration@luc.leidenuniv.nl.
Contact
Dr. Sarah Hinman, s.e.hinman@luc.leidenuniv.nl
Remarks
Please note: this is a revision of the former 200-level Urban Studies elective course. While a major revision, there is a fair bit of duplicate content.