69407 - Comparative History of European Cities

Course contents

Europe is the continent with the highest density and urban population; understand the historical dynamics contributes to better grasping the complexity of current realities. The course offers a comparative overview of the main stages of formation and transformation of urban settlements. Since the city is the special place of encounter of different cultures, through successive historical phases stratified, we intend to analyze and compare the time of their birth (and for a large part of Europe that coincides with the Antiquities) and their major transformation in the Middle Ages. In this period it has gained a consciousness of individuals to a community and being of citizens and not subjects, basic elements of citizenship education. Starting from the observation of existing cities (Barcelona, Paris, London, Prague, Wien, Milan, Rome, etc..) and also from the comparative study of their physical facilities, we will identify the different moments that have shaped the urban bodie, along with verifying the different growth rates and transformation.

Readings/Bibliography

Texts for preparing the exam are available online. 

Teaching methods

Teaching is by a combination of  lectures and seminars.

Assessment methods

The examination is carried out through a written test with three open-ended questions aimed at verifying the student's knowledge of urban history topics, as taught during the term and available in online materials. Among the indicators that will contribute to the evaluation  there are the knowledge of the topics discussed in the lessons and contained in online materials; the property of language and the ability to compare the evolutionary historical lines of the major European cities.

Teaching tools

Lectures  based on aerial views, cartography and literary sources.

Office hours

See the website of Rosa Smurra