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| Jan Fransen, the IHS Head of Education & Training, is the Urban Theories (UT) course coordinator. |
The first lecture day was quite uneventful, a taste of things to come...
First off, it's my first time in a big auditorium class (I've never attended one of those big Nat Sci lectures back in UP because you don't if you only study there for a year; and during my time, large classes are unheard of in UB) and ages since I last attended an actual class (as a student). Also I'm ancient and cynical. So there...
The UMD core period is kicked off with about 4 weeks of Urban Theories (6 ECTS) -- a 411 of sorts in our foray into the urban (studies) jungle. A refresher for some, but a whole new ballgame for others. We were given in advance the coursebook, all the readings and workshop assignments were also listed there. The format: an auditorium lecture, then workshops (in our working groups of about 20±? students) to further expound on the theories discussed, plus an additional weekly or bi-weekly session(s) discussing the assigned readings with our smaller study group of about 6-7. (The Explorers, remember?)
IHS introduces the history and evolution of urbanization (spatial) and urban theorization through the lens of the complexity theory. (Let the neoliberal indoctrination begin!)
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| City game... |
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| At a workshop: presenting our posters of the UT readings. |
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| 3 days into the academic, already, a mock exam! |