Module manager: Sara Gonzalez
Email: s.gonzalez@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) View Timetable
Year running 2025/26
This module is not approved as a discovery module
This module is an exploration into the contested nature of cities across the world. Contemporary urban processes are not just the result of government policies or private developers but a much more complex and dynamic process of power, conflict and contestation implicating different actors in society. The module will teach students how to critically understand current trends in cities such as gentrification, financialisation or touristification and in what ways they lead to urban injustices. In particular, the module focuses on how individuals, community groups and urban social movements organise against the injustices that emerge in cities. We will draw on examples from around the world from housing movements in Spain or Brazil, to the Land Justice struggles in Hong Kong or anti-gentrification campaigns in London.
The objective of this module is to provide skills to understand the complex nature of urbanisation and urban development today. The module will present urban development as contested and resulting from conflict between many different actors from state, private developers and residents. Students will study the recent theories and concepts from critical urban studies and apply this knowledge to many of the problems that affect cities today such as lack of affordable housing, privatisation of public spaces and assets, gentrification, overtouristification or the displacement of low income and minoritised groups from their homes and community spaces. The module will also introduce students to urban movement theories to explain why and how urban residents organise against these problems.
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following learning outcomes relevant to the subject:
1. Analyse the complex trends shaping urbanisation processes.
2. Discuss and interpret the current academic debates in urban studies.
3. Recognise the contested nature of cities in the world today and the variety of actors and strategies that influence urban development.
4. Apply theoretical debates in critical urban theory to specific manifestations of urban injustice on the ground.
5. Explain and discuss the global and interconnected nature of urban processes.
Skills Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following skills learning outcomes:
Skills span across various domains from work ready, sustainability, digital and academic
1. Communication. The ability to convey and receive information clearly, accurately, and appropriately.
2. Academic writing. The ability to communicate effectively in written form to articulate an argument, supported by relevant evidence and adhering to academic convention.
3. Creativity. The ability to generate ideas, demonstrate originality and imaginative thinking, and think beyond expected or accepted ideas.
4. Critical thinking. The ability to gather information and perspectives from a range of sources; weigh up different arguments and perspectives, using supporting evidence to form arguments, theories and ideas.
5. Research. The ability to access and investigate a variety of sources of information on a subject, in order to provide answers or solutions, expand or provide new knowledge of a topic or subject.
6. Academic integrity. A commitment to good study practices and shared values, which ensures that your work is a true expression of your own understanding and ideas, giving credit to others where their work contributes to yours.
Details of the syllabus will be provided on the Minerva organisation (or equivalent) for the module
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supervision | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Lecture | 20 | 1 | 20 |
| Seminar | 9 | 1 | 9 |
| Private study hours | 170 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 30 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 200 | ||
Seminars (every week for 10 weeks, 1 hour) Each seminar has been designed with specific aims and students can check against these aims to understand if they have gained the expected knowledge. At the seminars there are opportunities to interact with seminar facilitators and gain feedback on students’ understanding of concepts and the content on the specific readings and activities assigned to the seminars.
Lectures (every week, 2 hours) In lectures there are opportunities for students to interact with staff and check their progress and learning.
Office hours (every week) Students are encouraged to attend staff office hours to consult on any elements of the module including to receive specific feedback on their ideas for the essay.
Dedicated seminar (1 hr) There will be a dedicated seminar to provide students with formative feedback on their ideas for the essay.
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Coursework | Coursework | 100 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 100 | |
Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated
The reading list is available from the Library website
Last updated: 06/05/2025
Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team