Social Geography

Course Description

Objectives

The course examines how social identities and social relations are constituted in space, at different geographical scales, from the body, to the city, to the nation and beyond. Students will become acquainted with key concepts in Social Geography; gain knowledge of the different ways in which space or places play a crucial role in contemporary societies; develop the ability to apply geographic concepts and ideas to issues related to a wide range of social issues; develop skills in presenting material to support a reasoned argument and the ability to synthesize data and concepts in Human Geography.

Content

The course explores the unequal ways in which individuals experience and use different spatialities in their everyday live, as well as the plural meanings and identities they attribute to them. It introduces the notion of socio-spatial dialectic, the complex interrelationship between social and spatial structures, emphasizing the role of space in mediating the (re)production and challenging of social hierarchies based on class, race, ethnicity, gender, age, sexuality and disability. The course also introduces key concepts of social theory.

Teaching & Assessment

Lectures and seminars with active student participation. Three optional short assignments-exams. Final written examination.