Field course in urban studies

The course focuses on the development of cities and their neighborhoods in Western European and post-socialist contexts. It emphasizes long-term transformations in cities and societies, particularly developments in recent decades, and employs comparative research methods to understand both the differences and similarities among various urban environments.

Attention is given to the transformations of various types of urban neighborhoods (city centers, inner cities, suburbs) and key processes of urban change, such as revitalization, gentrification, and suburbanization. The course combines theoretical approaches with empirical field research and situates urban change within the broader context of social, economic, and institutional transformations.

• The course is offered concurrently at Charles University and the University of Strasbourg.
• Field research takes place alternately in Prague and Strasbourg
• In the 2025/2026 academic year, it will take place in Strasbourg

Course Organization

The course consists of the following components:

• in-person classes (2–3 teaching blocks during the summer semester),
• a field trip,
• individual and group work,
• presentation of research results.

Fieldwork is conducted in mixed Czech-French groups. Students from the Czech Republic and France will work in international research teams, jointly collect and analyze field data, and prepare final research reports.