This PhD course was developed by IUR and offered in the spring of 2025 for 7.5 credits, with Claudia Fonseca Alfaro responsible for the course and Hoai Anh Tran as course examiner.
Course objectives
The purpose of the course was that the doctoral students deepened their knowledge about current tendencies and challenges within the field of postcolonial and decolonial urban studies with an engagement with the “critique from the urban Global South.” Special attention was given to questions related to the geopolitics of knowledge production, comparative methodological strategies, and theory production in the Global South.
Course content
The course consisted of lectures, seminars and panel discussions with invited social actors as well as an excursion that was part of the course. The course participants presented and discussed their work in verbal and written formats.
Learning outcomes
After completion of the course the doctoral students were expected to:
- Demonstrate an ability to critically identify and discuss tendencies and challenges within the field of postcolonial and decolonial urban studies
- Develop a considerable degree of specialized knowledge of the geopolitics of knowledge production within the field of urban studies
- Assess the merits and challenges of comparative methodological strategies
- Problematize and understand the limits and advantages of producing theory in the Global South
Learning Activities
The course consisted of independent study, essay writing, and participation in seminars.
Invited guests to the course also held public lectures and partook in interviews as part of their stay. These are available to view here.