HIVA03102U Urban Culture – Place, Space and Relations

Volume 2013/2014
Education
Kandidat i Informationsvidenskab og kulturformidling
Content

Cities in global competition are today being planned as experience and creative cities and at the same time cultural policy and urban regeneration have become more and more intertwined. These overall urban strategies challenge the traditional cultural institutions, which have to respond to a new urban context and to new user needs. They are to a higher degree planned to serve as catalysts for urban change (place), as spaces for experiences and creativity (space) and as contributors to a more participatory culture (relations).

In this course we will examine and discus the challenges and changes for urban culture in relation to cultural policy, culture-led regeneration and cultural mediation. Today, culture has become a parameter for urban success and an instrument for economic impact. The result is a festivalization of public space, the planning of fun and flow for the creative class and a strategic use of culture in community development. The question here is: How can urban planning to a higher degree address diverse lifestyles and subcultures?

At the same time cultural institutions are seen as icons, flagships and placemakers, a tendency which has an impact of the architecture, design and functions of these institutions. From being spaces for enlightenment they are to a higher degree becoming spaces for learning, experience, engaging meetings and creative expression. To fulfill these purposes they need to engage their audiences though a more participatory and user-driven cultural mediation. The course equips the students with theoretical models to analyze these trends and tools to engage in user-driven processes.

The course will include these topics:

  • Rationales for cultural policies of cities
  • Theories of planning for eventful and creative experience cities
  • The role of cultural institutions in culture-led urban regeneration
  • Models for the use and planning of space in cultural institutions
  • Theories of participatory cultural mediation
  • Methods of user- driven cultural processes
Learning Outcome

Having completed the module, the student must:

Knowledge

  • Have knowledge of cultural policy and urban regeneration.
  • Be familiar with central concepts culture-led regeneration and cultural mediation.
  • Be aware of the challenges concerning culture-led regeneration and cultural mediation.

Skills

  • Have skills in analyzing strategies for culture-led regeneration and cultural mediation.

Competences

  • Be able to understand and discuss advantages and disadvantages in connection to different strategies for culture-led regeneration and cultural mediation.

Approx. 1500 pages.

Sample literature:

  • Skot-Hansen, Dorte (2005). “Why urban cultural policy?” In: Robertsen, Jill. Integrated Report, chapter 4, pp. 31-9.
  • Skot-Hansen, Dorte, Jochumsen, Henrik and Hvenegaard Rasmussen, Casper (2013) ”The Role of public libraries in culture-led urban regeneration.” In: New Library World, vol. 114, 1-2.
  • Florida, Richard (2003). ”Cities and the Creative Class.” In: City & Community, Nr.2, March 2003, pp. 3-19.
  • Richards, Greg and Robert Palmer (2010). Eventful Cities. Cultural Management and Urban Revitalisation. Amsterdam, Elsivier, chapters 1 and 2, pp. 1-78.
The course is based on lectures, discussions and excursions.
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Class Instruction
  • 0
  • Total
  • 0
Credit
15 ECTS
Type of assessment
Written assignment
Written paper with subject chosen by the student:
Assessment form: 7-step scale
Marking form: Internal marking
Examination language(s): English
Scope: The examination may be taken individually or as a group examination with max. 5 participants and individual assessments.
The scope of the assignment is max. 20 standard pages + 10 standard pages per student in addition to one. Each student's contribution must be a complete whole, which is identified and can be assessed on its own. The participants' joint contribution must not exceed 50 % of the entire length of the paper.
Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
No external censorship
Exam period
June 2014
Re-exam
The re-examination form is the same as for the ordinary examination (e.g. a revision of the original paper).
Criteria for exam assesment

The module is assessed according to the 7-point grading scale.

The mark 12 is given to:
An excellent performance displaying a high level of command of all aspects of the relevant material, with no or only a few minor weaknesses.

  • The student has a comprehensive understanding of the key theories and reflects on an independent and scientific basis on culture-led regeneration and cultural mediation.
  • The student masters the methods and theories of the course and independently perspective and communicates them.

The mark 7 is given to:
For a good performance displaying good command of the relevant material but also some weaknesses.

  • The student has adequate understanding of the key theories and is able to use them for identifying and analyzing issues related to the module.
  • The student can reflect on the theoretical and methodological choices and use them analytically.

The mark 02 is given to:
A performance meeting only the minimum requirements for acceptance.

  • The student has a basic understanding of the module and can reproduce it at an acceptable level.
  • The student can, to a limited extent, reflect on theoretical and methodological choices and to some extent use them analytically.