Curricular Unit:			Code:
Urban Processes and New Social Movements			150PUNM
Year:	Level:	Course:	Credits:
3	Undergraduate	Cultural Studies	6 ects
Learning Period:		Language of Instruction:	Total Hours:
Winter Semester		Portuguese/English	78
Learning Outcomes of the Curricular Unit:
The understanding of the phenomena of urban daily life, and the quest for alternatives for the problems that it brings to Anthropology and Cultural Studies. Attention will be drawn to new social movements of urban nature, such as those related to gender and sexual orientation, space appropriation, and ethnical and cultural identities. To develop autonomy and ability to understand world cultures as result of a community historical process, and the dynamics of the identitarian processes as a motor of cultural individuality. Students shall develop a critical view of cultural phenomena, through an attitude of both curiosity and tolerance towards cultural differences to be encountered in their professional future. Students shall develop capacities to select and interpret relevant information to sustain critical judgments, and to convey this information to diverse audiences and scenarios. They shall promote the ability to learn in an autonomous and continued fashion in their future life.
Syllabus:
1. The urban environment and its spaces 1.1 – Towards a definition of city and urbanity 1.2 – Patterns of urbanity: the opposition rural/urban 1.3 – The origins of the city and its social foundations 2. Structure and interactions in urban environments. 2.1 – Social interaction among large groups 2.2 – The ideas and dynamics of space and communication 2.3 – The cities within the city: space management and space identities 2.4 – Patterns of social cohesion: ideals and opportunities 2.5 - The power of identity symbols among urban groups 3. Urban social movements 3.1 – Overview of urban movements: from antiquity to present 3.2 – Social urban movements and political power and pacifist movements. 3.3 – Social urban movements and gender 3.4 – Social urban movements and religions / ideological groups (messianic and millenaries’ expressions) 3.5- Social urban movements and ecology 3.6 - Social urban movements and identity narratives.
Demonstration of the Syllabus Coherence with the Curricular Unit's Objectives:
Subjects covered by the syllabus provide the student elementary knowledge on the structural framework of urban communities, correlating those aspects with a critical perspective over the urban phenomenon and its wide range of configurations. Syllabus provides the student the understanding of the interaction mechanisms within urban societies, in particular those who prove as generators of new group configurations and new social trends. Syllabus shows the student cultural diversity as the result of an interactive historical process, as resulting from both internal and external dynamics of social groups, thus outlining the role of identitarian processes as a motor to this changes. Familiarizes the student to the configurations of new social movements in a diachronical perspective, within a comparative framework of the present and the emerging realities. Allows the student to grow an attitude of reflection and tolerance towards different individuals and different cultures
Teaching Methodologies (Including Evaluation):
Teaching methodology will focus on lecturing, research of specific subjects, reading and discussion of selected bibliography, as well as group debates over selected subjects. Occasionally, viewing of quality documentaries on selected subjects will support and illustrate the presentation and the discussion of both concepts and realities. Assessment will be continuous and based on a written test, an essay and a group research essay with oral presentation and work discussion. Students will also be asked to participate in theoretical and practical tasks in the classroom, and on the participation of external activities such as seminaries and conferences decurring in the University.
Demonstration of the Coherence between the Teaching Methodologies and the Learning Outcomes:
Module 1: The idea of urbanity as a mental model, of both way of life and attitude. The roots of the urban ways of life throughout times, with particular focus on classical Antiquity. The material, symbolic and functional structure of urban spaces while cathalists of behaviours and lifestyles. In this module students will view documentaries as support and illustration to some of the subjects, as complementary to lectures, to support group discussion. Students will also read selected bibliography that, altogether with the documentaries, will suport group discussion and writing of one essay. Module 2: Social differences between urban environments and group behaviour. The characterization of the organization and cohesion social units as cores of identitarian interaction. Approach to xenofobia feelings while by-products of specific social and historical moments. In this module students will view documentaries as support and illustration to some of the subjects, as complementary to lectures, to support group discussion. Students will also read selected bibliography that, altogether with the documentaries, will suport group discussion and writing of one essay. Module 3: Brief approach to social movements as result of specific social dynamics, and diachronical overview of their triggers and propellors.In this module students will view documentaries as support and illustration to some of the subjects, as complementary to lectures, to support group discussion. Students will also read selected bibliography that, altogether with the documentaries, will suport group discussion and writing of one essay.
Reading:
—Berberoglu, Berch (edit.) (2019) The Palgrave Handbook of Social Movements. Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan. —Castells, Manuel (2015) Networks of outrage and hope: social movements in the Internet age. Malden, Polity Press. —Crutchfield, Leslie R. (2018) How change happens: why some social movements succeed while others don’t. Hoboken, John Wiley & Sons. —Fitzi, Gregor; Mackert, Ju¨rgen; Turner, Bryan S. (edits.) (2019) Populism and the Crisis of Democracy. Volume 2: Politics, Social Movements and Extremism. London, Routledge. —Lee, Su (2007) Debating New Social Movements: Culture, Identity, and Social Fragmentation. Lanham, University Press of América. —Mayer, Margit (2007)- Urban Social Movements. Oxford, Blackwell. —McGarry, Aiden; Jasper, James M. (edits.) (2015) The identity dilemma: social movements and collective identity. Philadelphia, Temple University Press. - Susser, Ida; Tonnelat, Stéphane (2013). Transformative cities: The three urban commons.
Lecturer (* Responsible):
Vítor Teixeira (vrteixeira@ufp.edu.pt)