Geography

The course is future oriented and explores the concept of sustainability in the face of global change. It encompasses a wide range of theory and practice, including social, economic, and environmental issues, and links international examples to local context and relevance. The course challenges students to critically reflect on sustainability and current approaches to sustainability.

This course examines the increasing capacity of open-source GIS in disseminating spatial data sets in non-conventional formats. It covers a showcase of diverse datasets and their potential values and hands-on practices about the uses of these datasets. 

This course identifies the difference between soil science and soil geography, and covers soil management conservation techniques. The course also allows students to participate in environmental regeneration, ordering, planning and development of basis, valleys, alluvial plans, and deltas. 

This course seeks a methodology for geographical description and research on the state scale of the Mexican territory and, particularly, for the study of the classic fields of physical analysis of its geographical space. The course seeks to answer the questions: How does one analyze the territorial configuration of the Mexican State from the physical elements of the geographical space? What are the particularities of the physical elements of this territory? What are the problems that have currently arisen around its use and exploitation? What historical processes have influenced this and what disputes are expressed in this territorial configuration? And what are the main sources of consultation to study it?

The course begins with a reflection on the elements traditionally considered as starting points for the study of the geography of modern territorial States, and where the processes, subjects and factors that determine it and the factors from different scales are also identified. By the end of this section, participants will then have a theoretical-methodological framework that will allow them to focus on the more specific analysis of the physical elements of the geographical space of Mexico, valuing them and identifying the particularity that each of these geographical elements has in the historical configuration of the country. The second part of the course then analzes eight central elements in the production of the Mexican territorial State namely: orography, minerals, climate, soil, vegetation, continental water, hydrocarbons and maritime space. and insular; analyzing its geographical distribution, historical production and current problems.

This class in an introductory course to Geographic Information Systems (GIS), which constitute one of the most powerful modern technologies for the study of territorial, socioeconomic and environmental processes and problems from a spatial point of view. GIS allow geographic and cartographic work to be carried out in an efficient way, from the data entry, its management and analysis, until the generation of results, allowing the user (planner, businessman, researcher, teacher and student) to spend a substantial part of the time in analysis, synthesis and management of the projects, overcoming limitations traditional methods of manual information processing.  In practice, geographic information systems are much more than a technological tool, since they are made up of components such as hardware, software, users, information, methods and techniques, which enable the comprehensive management of projects, regardless of the territorial and organizational level. This course provides the student with the methodological foundations and techniques for the management and analysis of spatially referenced information, emphasizing practical work, using hardware resources, software and procedures of geographic information systems.

Students are introduced to the expanding field of professionals leading urban climate adaptation and mitigation efforts. With a significant portion of the world's population living in urban areas and accounting for approximately 75% of greenhouse gas emissions, urban residents are highly vulnerable to climate change but also offer important solutions for a more equitable carbon transition. In this course, students explore how cities are addressing this critical challenge. Students engage with professionals working on climate adaptation and mitigation strategies in cities across multiple continents and learn about the primary thematic areas where cities focus their efforts.

This course explores the complex historical and contemporary dynamics of German colonialism, anti-colonial resistance movements, and the impact of colonialism on present-day German society. Divided into four themes that intersect throughout the classes, the course provides a comprehensive understanding of the German colonial past, anti-colonial struggles in Berlin, contemporary Berlin as a site of colonial heritage, and the emergence of post-colonial and decolonial movements in the city. The first main theme is the German colonial era, which examines key historical events, colonial practices, and the territories under German control. The course explores Berlin as a physical and symbolic space that reflects the remnants of German colonialism and consider how these remnants shape the city's identity. The second focuses on resistance movements against colonization. It studies the diverse strategies and initiatives employed by individuals and communities who fought against German colonialism both in the colonies and in Berlin and the capital of the German empire. The third theme investigates the effects of colonialism on contemporary German society. It examines how colonial legacies continue to shape social, political, and cultural structures in Germany today. Topics include the influence of colonialism on immigration policies, racial dynamics, cultural heritage, and the representation of marginalized communities. The fourth theme engages with postcolonial and decolonial contemporary movements. It critically examines different theoretical frameworks and approaches used to deconstruct colonial power structures, challenge Eurocentric narratives, and envision alternative futures. It also explores the global context of decolonial movements and their relevance to Germany and Berlin specifically.

This course discusses how typical spatial planning debates relate to wider societal challenges (i.e. planning as the “mirror of society”), but also to critically assess how spatial planning practices can therefore crystalize in very different ways from one planning context to the next. All of this is embedded in a thorough understanding of the fundamental concepts of urban and regional planning. Typical planning issues such as coordination between different spatial scales, sectoral and integrated planning approaches, dealing with scarcity, and flexibility vs. legal certainty are covered. Students are instructed through the pragmatic analytical concept of the planning triangle (object, process, context). This analytical framework helps to systematically relate the fundamental concepts of spatial planning to, on the one hand, the planning theoretical underpinnings and historical development of academic planning thought, and, on the other hand, to current planning dilemmas and practices in various planning systems (dominantly of the Netherlands, but also of other cases worldwide). Throughout the course, links are made to relevant planning methods and the role of the planner as ‘mediator’ in spatial planning processes. The course is structured around a series of lectures on basic concepts of spatial planning and putting these within the wider frame of current planning issues, theoretical debates and actual spatial planning practices and systems in the Netherlands and beyond. The lectures are supported by an academic handbook on spatial planning, that is in line with the pace and topics that are covered in the lectures. Students are encouraged to find supplementary academic and professional literature as theoretical underpinnings and empirical illustrations of their written products. The lectures and book are assessed by means of an individual written examination on the content of the course. Students work in groups on a jointly written group assignment. 

What will the city of the future look like? To what extent are our models of city-making sustainable? Is the road that we are taking leading us towards an environmental utopia in which societies will grow in balance with nature, or are we paving the way for the collapse of our civilization? These are the key questions that will drive students' exploration of the different ways through which, today, sustainable urban development is understood and practiced across the world. Students use the tools of geography to examine the most critical socio-environmental issues faced by cities (climate change, consumption, happiness, environmental degradation, etc.), and discuss both the theory and practice of urban sustainability.
 

This course examines finance and climate justice, and the links between them. As the worsening climate chaos threatens the very existence of humanity, it is increasingly clear that a climate justice approach is needed for both climate change mitigation and adaptation. Climate justice approaches emphasize the need for a fundamental transformation of society and the economy, while applying the principles of social justice and economic equity. However, there is a growing realization that such a socio-economic transformation is not possible without radical changes in the sphere of finance. Going beyond the proposition that finance needs to be mobilized to fund "green" transition, this course examines the view that the entire global financial architecture must be transformed to safeguard a better, healthier, more stable, and a more just future for all. Special attention is given to central banks and their role in the financialized economic system, their relation to climate change and their role in hampering and/or promoting climate justice. Alternative economic and financial models, including de-growth and post-growth approaches, are examined. The course also highlights a critical role of geography in understanding both the climate justice issues and the operation of finance in capitalist economies.