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76419-01 - Seminar: Comparative Urbanism (3 CP)
| Semester | fall semester 2025 |
| Course frequency | Once only |
| Lecturers | Julie Ren (julie.ren@unibas.ch, Assessor) |
| Content | This seminar engages with both the theoretical and methodological challenges posed by the comparative turn in urban studies. Comparative urbanism takes a postcolonial critique of urban theory as a starting point to explore issues such as commensurability, developmentalism, and epistemic violence. Yet it also posits novel questions about traditions of comparative research that extend beyond urban studies. We begin with a review of the key arguments and work towards developing concrete proposals for comparative urban research as an outcome of the seminar. The course aims to operationalize comparative urbanism for feasible, academically and societally relevant research questions. Delving into the critique offered by scholars of comparative urbanism, the seminar disambiguates different voices and considers the counterargument for singularity. As a methodological extension, we also review traditional forms of comparative urban research, discuss the ways that comparison is not inherently more global or critical. Rather, a survey of traditional comparative methods helps to solidify a particular understanding of scientism underlying comparative methodology, the force of causal explanation and the nature of theory. In the portion on research design, we explore experiments in comparative approaches and design new projects together. In this undertaking, we ask: What cities can be or should be compared and towards what ends? If not all urban issues can be or should be answered by a comparative framing, what are the research dilemmas that benefit most from a comparative approach? Taking existing grant or PhD requirements as a basis for these projects, we examine the practical possibilities and limitations of actually doing comparative urban research. |
| Learning objectives | • Develops a nuanced analysis of comparative urbanism • Establishes an understanding of traditional comparative research and its consequences • Designs new approaches, understanding field of existing experimental projects • Formulates research questions and projects that account for practical requirements of academic research |
| Bibliography | Readings/Program Morning sessions will be comprised of plenary discussions led by the lecturer and students. Afternoon sessions are more interactive, with the intent of working with and thinking through the scholarship. The last day will be organized as a workshop to interactively discuss your research proposal designs. 8 September: Comparative Urbanism 9-12 Robinson, J. (2011). Cities in a world of cities: The comparative gesture. International journal of urban and regional research, 35(1), 1-23. McFarlane, C. (2010). The comparative city: Knowledge, learning, urbanism. International journal of urban and regional research, 34(4), 725-742. Peck, J. (2015). Cities beyond compare?. Regional studies, 49(1), 160-182. Jazeel, T. (2019). Singularity. A manifesto for incomparable geographies. Singapore Journal of Tropical Geography, 40(1), 5-21. 13-17 Discussion to disambiguate different voices offering variations of the argument, which are empirically grounded. This will be based on students’ informal presentations (ca 5 min) of a comparative study. Prepare: Bring one comparative study from the past ca. 10 years that refers to comparative urbanism and be prepared to introduce how it engages with its core critiques. 9 September: Traditions of Comparative (Urban) Research 9-12 Abu-Lughod, J. (1975). The legitimacy of comparisons in comparative urban studies: A theoretical position and an application to North African cities. Urban Affairs Quarterly, 11(1), 13-35. Pickvance, C. G. (1986). Comparative urban analysis and assumptions about causality. International Journal of Urban & Regional Research, 10(2). Chapter 4 “Comparing” from Tilly, C. (1984). Big structures, large processes, huge comparisons. Sage. 13-17 Discussion to consider the longer legacy of comparative research, its academic contributions and epistemological consequences. This will be based on students’ informal presentations (ca 5 min) of a comparative study. Prepare: Bring one comparative study (does not need to be urban, though preferable) from before 2000 and describe how they justify their comparative approach. 10 September: Experiments in Comparison 9-12 Montero, S., & Baiocchi, G. (2022). A posteriori comparisons, repeated instances and urban policy mobilities: What ‘best practices’ leave behind. Urban Studies, 59(8), 1536-1555. Lancione, M., & McFarlane, C. (2016). Life at the urban margins: Sanitation infra-making and the potential of experimental comparison. Environment and Planning A: Economy and Space, 48(12), 2402-2421. Ren, J. (2023) Making a comparative case: The art biennial in Dakar and Taipei. In J. Robinson and P. Le Gales, eds. The Routledge Handbook of Comparative Global Urban Studies (pp. 185-194). Routledge. Optional: The entire comparative urbanism special issue in Urban Studies, available here: https://journals.sagepub.com/toc/usja/59/8 13-17 Discussion will take two parts. Part 1 will consider what are questions that need to be answered with comparison? For this, students are asked to present a possible theoretical case. Part 2 will be a brainstorm of experimental approaches rooted in students’ experiences, knowledges and interests. Prepare: Following Walton’s idea of a “theoretical case” (as discussed in Ren, 2023) as a case of something, bring 1-2 theoretical cases to the discussion that would warrant comparison. 11 September: Comparison and the Academic Institution 9-12 Keith, M., & Parnell, S. (2023). Risk and returns: large‐scale funding for urban research. International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, 47(2), 299-304. Tucker, A. (2023). The benefits of large‐scale, multi‐site internationally funded research projects: an example of new academic insights and new funding possibilities. International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, 47(2), 318-323. Serrano Velarde, K. (2018). The way we ask for money… The emergence and institutionalization of grant writing practices in academia. Minerva, 56(1), 85-107. Hug, S. E., & Aeschbach, M. (2020). Criteria for assessing grant applications: A systematic review. Palgrave Communications, 6(1), 1-15. Check the guidelines for project grants: Swiss National Science Foundation and European Research Council. Optional: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft. 13-17 The afternoon will be about matching research interests, aims, topics, methods and questions with ways to fund this work. This will assess academic structures behind research, which enable or limit different kinds of comparative urban research. Prepare: Survey research grants, PhD scholarships, residencies or other funding possibilities available (to you or to researchers in general) and select one to share with the seminar. Be prepared to describe the requirements and how it is compatible with doing the comparative urban research project you are developing. 12 September: Comparative Research Projects 9-17 Workshop with student presentations of preliminary research project designs. The presentations are ungraded, but rather a chance to get substantive feedback from the lecturer and other students, to inspire each other with novel approaches, and to learn about different theoretical and empirical cases. Precise timing of the presentations will be determined at the start of the seminar as it is dependent on seminar size. |
| Comments | The course is open to Master students from other programs with a priority for MA Students in Critical Urbanisms and in Changing Societies on timely registration. Maximum capacity 35. |
| Admission requirements | Anmelden: Belegen ; Abmelden: nicht erforderlich |
| Language of instruction | English |
| Use of digital media | No specific media used |
| Interval | Weekday | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
| Block | See individual dates | ||
Dates
| Date | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|
| Monday 08.09.2025 | 10.15-17.00 | Rosshofgasse (Schnitz), Seminarraum S 01 |
| Tuesday 09.09.2025 | 10.15-17.00 | Rosshofgasse (Schnitz), Seminarraum S 01 |
| Wednesday 10.09.2025 | 10.15-17.00 | Rosshofgasse (Schnitz), Seminarraum S 01 |
| Thursday 11.09.2025 | 10.15-17.00 | Rosshofgasse (Schnitz), Seminarraum S 01 |
| Friday 12.09.2025 | 10.15-17.00 | Rosshofgasse (Schnitz), Seminarraum S 01 |
| Modules |
Module: Fields: Environment and Development (Master's degree program: African Studies) Module: The Urban across Disciplines (Master's degree program: Critical Urbanisms) |
| Assessment format | continuous assessment |
| Assessment details | Pass/Fail |
| Assessment registration/deregistration | Reg.: course registration; dereg.: not required |
| Repeat examination | no repeat examination |
| Scale | Pass / Fail |
| Repeated registration | no repetition |
| Responsible faculty | Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, studadmin-philhist@unibas.ch |
| Offered by | Fachbereich Urban Studies |