During the seminar you will receive:

• In-depth knowledge of geology and karst in the southern Ruhr region
• Ability to prepare specialist information for the general public
• Experience in the conception of geotourism projects
• Experience in working with QGIS and Open Geodata (map interpretation, relief analysis and visualization, planning...)

The students are developing a new hiking trail with a focus on limestone and karst in Hagen-Holthausen. The hiking trail will then be realized by GeoPark Ruhrgebiet (website, information boards, flyers). 

As part of this course, the students will make an essential contribution to the creation of a new and appealing thematic hiking trail by taking a detailed scientific look at the geological conditions, the geomorphological features and the underlying processes.

After the natural spatial analysis and a prior spatial identification using GIS, potential locations are then defined during short excursions and viewed together on site. Once interesting locations have been selected, routes and panel locations are discussed and determined, at which the respective topics on karst and limestone become clear so that the topic-specific information panels can then be developed in small groups.

Theoretical basics: working out the geological and natural conditions using thematic maps and GIS.
Practical part: field walk; exercises in spatial development using GIS (e.g. QGIS) and Open Geodata.
Evaluation part: Scientific description and explanation of the topic, development of a thematic information board for the hiking trail for the general public.

Will be announced in the seminar.

Environmental and planning problems in different regions of the world are developed and presented using the example of water, a resource that is becoming increasingly scarce and expensive, as well as the numerous forms of use. Possible strategies for solving the problems are discussed. From the colorful bouquet of possible topics (see below), areas are presented with a lecture in consultation with the plenum. The presentation will provide transition points and points of contact for interim questions, comments and discussions.
In the course of the semester, you will choose a topic area in consultation with me, on which you will write a term paper of 10 pages of text in standard format (plus figures, tables, VZ etc.) as an examination. Once the topic has been assigned, the deadline for submission is 8 weeks. Topics will be assigned until the end of the semester.

• Water as a resource: cycles, quantity and quality
• A mere distribution problem? Regional approaches to the topicLegal and planning requirements in the EU (EU-WFD) and in Germany
• What is water management?
• Building blocks of sustainable water management
• The use of oceans and watercourses
• Ecological requirements
• Water technology
• Water supplyCity drainage & water management
• Water price
• Private approaches vs. public interest
• Examples of sustainable and unsustainable developments in resource management: e.g. the Aral Sea, Mexico City, Frankfurt/M., Berlin, Beijing, Venice

Based on an introductory keynote speech, the participants decide together on the topics to be covered within the main theme. From the colorful bouquet of possible topics (see above), areas are presented with a lecture in consultation with the plenary. This results in transitional and connecting points for interim questions, comments and discussions.
In the course of the semester, you will choose a topic area in consultation with me, on which you will write a term paper of 10 pages of text in standard format (plus figures, tables, VZ etc.) as an examination. Once the topic has been assigned, the deadline for submission is 8 weeks. Topics will be assigned until the end of the semester.

Abhängig von den gewählten Themen steht eine kaum zu überschauende Vielfalt von einschlägiger, qualitätsgesicherter Literatur zur Verfügung. Insofern sind die folgenden Angaben als keineswegs repräsentative Zufallsauswahl zu verstehen:

German Advisory Council on Global Change (ed.) 2006: The Future Oceans – Warming up, Rising High, Turning Sour. Special Report. Berlin

Geographische Rundschau 2010: Ozeane und Meeresforschung. Jg. 62, H. 5

Kelletat, Dieter 2013: Physische Geographie der Meere und Küsten. 3., neu bearb. u. erw. Aufl., Stuttgart

Latif, Mojib 2014: Das Ende der Ozeane. Warum wir ohne die Meere nicht überleben werden. Freiburg

Students should acquire basic knowledge in the field of geographic health research and deepen this knowledge using individual example topics

The seminar first introduces the basics of geographical health research and then focuses on various topics and different research areas. Exercises are also planned. The following topics will be available for selection: 

• Health and illness - between demarcation and continuum (e.g. concept of salutogenesis 
• Social and cultural determinants of health and illness 
• Social situation, environment and health: connections and contradictions
• The importance of sense of place/place identity and a sense of home for health 
• Urban health - more than urban planning and health 
• Mobility & health: the mobility turnaround in view?
• Nature & Health 
• Soundscapes - more than just noise 
• Climate and health
• Infectious diseases, epidemics, pandemics... 
• Chronic diseases at a glance: Challenges and perspectives 
• Water and health: from health source to wastewater
• Health aspects in development cooperation (including water hygiene, health care, see below)
• Health planning (outpatient, inpatient) in the traditional sense incl. exercise 
• Future of healthcare

Presentations are prepared and discussed by the students and accompanied by exercises

• Augustin, J., Koller, D. (Hrsg.)(2017): Geografie der Gesundheit – Die räumliche Dimension von Epidemiologie und Versorgung. Bern: Hogrefe (ehem. Huber).
• Brown, T., Andrews, G.J., Cummins, S., Greenhough, B., Lewis, D. (2018): Health geographies : a critical introduction. Wiley.
• Crooks, V.A. , Andrews, G.J., Pearce, J. (Hrsg.)(2020): Routledge Handbook of Health Geography. Routledge.
• Frumkin, H. (2003): Healthy places: exploring the evidence. American Journal of Public Health, 93 (9), 1451–1456.
• Gatrell, A.C., Elliott, S.J. (2014): Geographies of Health: An Introduction. 3. Aufl., Wiley.
• Kistemann, T., Schweikart, J., Butsch, C. (2019): Medizinische Geographie. Westermann-Verlag, Braunschweig (Das Geographische Seminar).

Further literature will be announced in the preliminary discussion and in the seminar sessions

Worldwide trade interdependencies, the genesis and structure of global city and company networks, the interdependencies of so-called industrialised and developing countries as well as the topic of globalisation embedded in current geopolitical distortions are always linked to spatially related or spatially effective questions. Regional disparities and differentiations are correspondingly spatially effective manifestations of these structures, functions and processes. In the lecture World Economic Geography, these topics are taken up, discussed and analysed in order to expand the economic-social science dimension of a globally interacting world economy by the spatial perspective.
The lecture is integrated into the teaching programme of the Institute of Geography, in particular the Chair of Economic Geography. Accordingly, the economic geographic - thus (economic) spatial - perspective is at the centre of the scientific consideration and discussion.
In addition to the causes and characteristics of globalisation, the spatial effects such as the formation of large economic blocks, global production and distribution networks or the dissolution and relocation of production complexes as well as the role of so-called global players and global sourcing are dealt with. Thematic fields of application come from the areas of raw materials, agriculture, industry and services, including finance and tourism. In addition, cross-sectional fields such as geographical environment and development research, geopolitical conflicts and specific types of space, e.g. from the Global South, are addressed. Various regional examples are used to concretise the topics.

Seminar offer for the lecture:
Course of studies Seminar Direction
BA BWL Compulsory (module) M.Sc. Lotz:                                        Block seminar: Special topics in world economic geography
BA VWL Compulsory (module) M.Sc. Lotz:                                        Block seminar: Special topics in world economic geography
BA/BSc Geography (RUB) Compulsory (module) M.Sc. Lotz:            Block seminar: Special topics in world economic geography

MSc TLog recommended Prof. Juchelka:                                               Block seminar especially for TLog

MA Socioeconomics see below Dipl.-Geogr. Schulte-Derne:                Block seminar: Geographical Development Research
MA IBEP see below Dipl.-Geogr. Schulte-Derne:                                  Block seminar: Geographical Development Research
MA Globalisation + Migration see below Dipl.-Geogr. Schulte-Derne: Block seminar: Geographical Development Research

Preliminary discussion for ALL seminars at the end of the lecture on 07.05.2024. The dates of the block seminars will also be determined there.

Bachelor students of Business Administration, Economics and Geography (RUB) take part in the compulsory block seminar ("Special Topics of WorldWiGeo") by Mr Lotz.

The block seminar (lecture and seminar: 3 CP each) by Prof. Juchelka, which focuses specifically on issues relating to the global economic-geographical dimensions of logistics, is compulsory for Master's students of Technical Logistics.

Master's students of Socioeconomics can also attend the seminar "Geographical Development Research" offered by Mr Schulte-Derne in addition to the lecture. It is not possible to attend the seminar alone without attending the lecture.

Students of the Master's programme International Relations and Development Policy (IBEP) can attend Mr Schulte-Derne's seminar "Geographical Development Research" as part of the practical module (3 CP) WITHOUT attending the lecture. Nevertheless, attendance of the lecture is strongly recommended in order to build up a scientific basis.

Students on the Globalisation and Migration Master's course can also attend the seminar "Geographical Development Research" offered by Mr Schulte-Derne in addition to the lecture. It is not possible to attend the seminar alone without attending the lecture

Lecture schedule:

16.04.2024 1.  Introduction, concept & organisation of the lecture
                        Basics of a world economic geography

23.04.2024 2.  globalisation and space: term, preconditions, processes, effects

30.04.2024 3.  theoretical approaches and concepts of a world economic geography
                     
07.05.2024 4.  world trade: spatial interdependencies, embeddings, implications
                        Pre-seminar discussion at the end of the lecture

14.05.2024 5.  "Global governance" perspective: the role of politics and spatial effectiveness

21.05.2024      Pentecost: no lecture

28.05.2024 6.   Perspective I: Raw materials - disparities between global supply and demand

04.06.2024 7.   Perspective II: Agriculture between globalisation and regionalisation

11.06.2024 8.   Perspective III: Industry - Locations, regional dynamics and networks

18.06.2024 9.   Perspective IV: Services: Trade, logistics, finance and tourism in global regionalisation

25.06.2024 10. Global Problem Areas & Space I: Geographical Development Research and Perspectives on the Integration of the so-called Global South

02.07.2024 11. Global Problem Areas & Space II: Environment and Sustainability

09.07.2024 12. Global Problem Areas & Space III: Wars, Crime, Terrorism, Geopolitics

16.07.2024 13.  exam (12.15-13.15)

References will follow in the lecture.

In the course of the seminar, you will learn important basics of experimental design, implementation and evaluation of soil science questions, which you will apply yourself in the form of your own small research project. After a thematic introduction, you will plan a soil science greenhouse experiment together with the lecturers, which will investigate the mechanisms of soil additives on the chemical and biological soil properties. During the ongoing experiments, statistical evaluation procedures, the visual representation of the results and the procedure of a scientific interpretation are worked out together in the seminars. The results you collect independently will then be presented and discussed in the course in the form of a scientific presentation.

Afterwards, you will discuss and compare the collected results in a written paper with the help of international scientific literature.

By designing and conducting your own small experiment, you will learn the important steps of experimental planning and implementation and will be able to develop an adapted time management for analytical work. Furthermore, you will learn approaches and methods for processing empirical data and deepen your scientific presentation skills by presenting your own results.

In many regions of the world, soils suffer from drought stress and nutrient deficiencies. Nevertheless, people depend on agricultural use of these soils and often lack technical means to compensate for this condition. By using different soil additives, such as mineral fertilisers or organic compost, it will be investigated whether an improvement of soil fertility and water supply can be achieved in order to promote sustainable agriculture.

Theoretical basics: Self-study of assigned technical articles and preparation of a short presentation for the first session. Introductory sessions and experimental design in the seminar.
Practical part: Supervision of a greenhouse experiment and laboratory work.
Evaluation part: Teaching of application-related data evaluation procedures and scientific data presentation.
Own work: Working on international articles on the topic, laboratory analysis, presentation of results in the seminar and preparation of a report.
Short excursion: if necessary, a one-day excursion to an outdoor experiment.

Will be announced in the seminar.

The research factory at the GI is intended to enable students to work on research projects both individually and in small groups, not tied to a specific seminar, or to initiate their own small projects outside of a project seminar. 
The projects can be carried out in a wide variety of subject areas, can be regional or international, purely geographical but preferably interdisciplinary.
Involving students in research practice as early as possible offers them both a broader and deeper learning and experience horizon, which will have a positive effect on the choice of a topic for the Master's thesis as well as the later career decision. The practice of self-organization, independent work and the assumption of responsibility are important goals here, which should lead to greater motivation and a stronger commitment to studies and geography.

Andreas Pflitsch (further information on request: andreas.pflitsch@rub.de):
For the summer semester I offer the following topics and locations:

Cave Climatology: 

• Dechenhöhle Iserlohn
• Schellenberg Ice Cave, Berchtesgaden

Within the framework of cave research, various climatologically oriented projects are currently being carried out or are in the process of being set up. Own projects can be carried out at the above-mentioned locations.

Field work in Alaska for a small number of individuals:
The fieldwork is aimed at students who have an in-depth interest in climatological issues, measurement challenges, and conducting climate measurements in extreme environments.
It is planned to plan and carry out various climate measurements in the old, now frozen, mines of Kennecott & McCarthy and in glacier caves in Alaska. This means: strenuous hikes with luggage into the cirques of former glaciers,wading through meltwater rivers, hiking through scrubby forests and over active rock glaciers. We will reach one of the study sites by a short flight into the wilderness, and on the return flight we will fly over the Kennecott and Root Glaciers at low altitude to experience the breathtaking glacier landscape from the air.

Overnight stays are mainly in tents, with hotel accommodation planned only for the first night after arrival and the last night before departure.

The costs for the approx. 12 off-road days (flight within Alaska, rental car, accommodation (hotel and campsites) amount to approx. € 1485 (without flight), but may vary due to strong exchange rate fluctuations.

Equipment such as tents, sleeping bags and sleeping mats must either be purchased by yourself or can be rented in Alaska (for a fee).  A limited number of backpacks can be rented at the RUB. 
Crampons, snowshoes and helmets are provided in Alaska.

Further lecturers upon request!

If you are interested, please contact the respective lecturer personally and discuss the further procedure individually.

Will be announced by the lecturers.

This seminar offers an insight into hydrological (qualitative and quantitative) measurement and evaluation methods. Measurement methods for the components of the water balance are presented. Discharge measurements are then carried out practically in the field. Topics relating to the soil and groundwater compartment are also presented. Interactions between plants, soil and the atmosphere as well as substance transformations and substance mobility are determined by the availability of water. 
Hydrochemical investigations and water quality mapping are practically applied in the field and laboratory. Special requests from students can be taken into account within the scope of the topic.

The elective module is held as a seminar, in addition to which field exercises take place in small groups by arrangement.

Will be announced during the preliminary discussion.

Students use what they have learned so far and expand their knowledge by dealing with the simultaneous global and local challenges, limits and possibilities of spatial urban development in times of multiple crises and catastrophes. To this end, they learn about the intricate starting points, contents, inverse goals and effects of different strategies and approaches, both in principle and using the example of selected major German cities. The planning approach illustrates the accelerated increase in the number of tasks, the circle of actors, the multi-perspective expectations and approaches as well as possible development opportunities and their limits. This also gives students an impression of their own later practical work in or for a city.

Global crises and disasters are putting pressure on our major cities, leaving them little room for independent development geared towards their own specific challenges. The smallest state unit, closest to the citizens, but with the least legal powers and a precarious budget situation, is simultaneously expected to shoulder climate change and the consequences of climate change, take in refugees from war zones and increase the supply of housing, promote the ongoing economic transformation and further develop local self-government against signs of democratic erosion, in addition to its extensive original tasks. Urban planning discussions and decisions on the type and form of land use inevitably coordinate and concentrate the most diverse demands and ideas and organize the overall development of a municipality. Of particular interest here is the question of which planning instruments and procedures can deal with multidimensional issues and lead to implementation.

• Spatial, economic, ecological, design, temporal and socio-spatial challenges arising from global crises and disasters, general trends and requirements as well as specific tasks and needs of large cities
• Different starting positions and tasks of large cities
• Political and administrative control as well as stakeholder groups and the different interest situations
• Urban development models, the built city as a reflection of society and specific concepts of selected cities
• Themes, content and objectives of overall urban development plans, sub-area and thematic development plans, urban planning, urban design and project development (large-scale urban design / small-scale urban design) .
• Interviews with stakeholders and participation in municipal discussions and events on planning topics
• Instruments and strategies for the realization of planning concepts (public and private stakeholder groups, market and funding / politics and citizens / short and long-term approaches)
• Best practice and target fulfillment

Literature / Sources:

Barth, Paul, 1961: Die moderne Großstadt. Soziologische Überlegungen zum Städtebau. Hamburg

Becker, Heidede / et al. 1999: Ohne Leitbild? Städtebau in Deutschland und Europa. Stuttgart

Bodenschatz, Harald: Städtebau und Stadtplanung, in: Mäckler / Sonne, 2013: Dortmunder Vorträge zur Stadtbaukunst Nr. 3. Zürich / Sulgen

Brand, Ulrich 2009: Die multiple Krise. Dynamik und Zusammenhang der Krisendimensionen, Anforderungen an politische Institutionen und Chancen progressiver Politik, Heinrich Böll Stiftung, Berlin

Dangschat, Jens 2012: Lokale Probleme globaler Herausforderungen in deutschen Städten In: Schäfers, Bernhard / et al.: Die Stadt in Deutschland: Aktuelle Entwicklungen und Probleme. Stuttgart

Friedrichs, Jürgen 1997: Eine Typologie westdeutscher Großstädte und Muster ihrer Entwicklung 1970–1990. In: Friedrichs, J. (Hrsg.): Die Städte in den 90er Jahren: Demographische, ökonomische und soziale Entwicklungen. Opladen/Wiesbaden

Friedrichs, Jürgen 2018: Stadtentwicklung. In: ARL – Akademie für Raumforschung und Landesplanung (Hrsg.): Handwörterbuch der Stadt- und Raumentwicklung, Hannover

Gehl, Jan 2015: Städte für Menschen, Berlin

Göderitz, Johannes / et al. 1957: Die gegliederte und aufgelockerte Stadt, Tübingen

Grüning, Matthias / et al. 2007: Glossar; Bauwelt 12, S. 60, Berlin

Henger, Ralph / et al. 019: Neue Perspektiven für die Stadtentwicklung, Gutachten im Auftrag der BPD Immobilienentwicklung GmbH. Köln

Henckel, Dietrich et. 2010: NACHHALTIGE STADTENTWICKLUNG, Berlin

Jacobs, Jane 1961: Death and Life of Great American Cities, New York

Kröck, Eckart 2014: Masterplan Universität-Stadt: Konzept, Erfahrungen und Ausblick“ In: Matthias Kiese (Hrsg.), Wissenschaftsstandorte zwischen stadträumlicher Integration und translokaler Vernetzung, Detmold

Kröck, Eckart 2022: Auf Arbeit – wie gehabt und alles auf Anfang! In: Julian Wékel, Deutsche Akademie für Städtebau und Landesplanung (Hrsg.), Stadt Denken 6, Berlin

Rüdiger, Andrea 2008: Der Alltäglichkeit auf der Spur: Die Rolle der Stadtgröße für die räumliche Planung. Eine empirische Untersuchung der Planungspraxis bundesdeutscher Mittelstädte. Dortmund
Sonne, Wolfgang 2014: Urbanität und Dichte im Städtebau des 20. Jahrhunderts. Berlin
Stratmann, Bernhard 1999: Stadtentwicklung in globalen Zeiten: Lokale Strategien, städtische Lebensqualität und Globalisierung. Basel und Berlin
Stadtentwicklungsberichte / Stadtentwicklungspläne / Lageberichte … von Frankfurt am Main 2019, München 2015, Hannover 2022, … Bochum 2022
Volkmann, Anne / et al. 2018: Gleichwertige Lebensverhältnisse zwischen Daseinsvorsorge und räumlichen Verwirklichungschancen. Universitätsbibliothek Dortmund, Dortmund.

The seminar will give insights in GIS- and remote sensing- based disaster (risk) monitoring using examples for e.g. drought, landslide or fire monitoring.

Frequency and intensity of natural hazards are increasing and near-real time monitoring is needed for adequate disaster risk management across scale. GIS and remote sensing are key technologies when it comes to monitoring and prevention, but also early warning of natural hazards and their impacts on populations and the environment. The seminar will give insights in the potential of GIS and remote sensing in disaster (risk) monitoring but also makes aware of their challenges.

The seminar is divided into three blocks: After the first block with introductory sessions on GIS and remote sensing for disaster risk monitoring, the students will get hands- on training on how natural hazards such as droughts, fires or floods can be monitored. During the third and last block, students will apply this knowledge on individual study cases.

• Basic knowledge about fundamental methods in sciences
• Acquire programming skills in core Python 3.
• Identify and manipulate Python objects.
• Writing effective python scripts that are consistent and easy-to-read.
• Open, read, process, analyze and write data using Python and Pandas.
• Designing clear and effective data visualizations using Python.

This course consists of two parts. The first introduces the students to the fundamentals of the Python language and the second to data analysis and visualization with Python.

First Part:

• Introduction to the fundamentals of the Python language (built-in datatypes and functions, import statements, python environments etc.)
• Flow control using conditional statements and loops.
• Definition of functions in Python.
• Working with datetimes.
• Opening, reading, and writing files using python.

Second Part:

• Analysis of different research datasets from physical geography
• Introduction to the Pandas Data Analysis Library.
• Working with arrays using the NumPy Module.
• Visualizing data using Matplotlib.

The course consists of 12 lectures, 8 of which are dedicated to introducing the fundamentals of Python and 4 to data analysis and visualization. Each lecture includes a set of compulsory assignments. To complete this course the students, must prepare a final project that includes several programming tasks.

1.The Python Tutorial: https://docs.python.org/3/tutorial/
2.Python documentation: https://docs.python.org/3.7/
3.The Coder's Apprentice: Learning programming with Python 3 (Free Ebook): http://www.spronck.net/pythonbook/pythonbook.pdf

Students 

• know the causes of the current housing shortage or housing shortages,
• understand the mechanisms that determine what happens on the German housing market
• understand the sometimes conflicting requirements placed on housing providers,
• have an overview of the most important housing providers and an insight into the niche of non-profit housing providers,
• can discuss the advantages and disadvantages of different approaches to the creation and renewal of housing.

In the seminar, the causes and basics of the current housing problem (quantitatively: regional shortages of varying severity, qualitatively: shortcomings from a social, ecological and building culture perspective) will be discussed. 
Traditional instruments of housing construction and housing promotion are addressed. 
Alternative approaches (tenement syndicates, cooperatives, church and parity organizations, foundations, squatting) are presented and discussed.

The structure of the seminar is based on the objectives:

• causes of the housing shortage or housing deficits
• fundamentals of housing and land policy in Germany and NRW
• instruments of housing construction and renewal
• alternative approaches
• reflection and discussion

Will be announced during the seminar.

Having successfully passed the module, the students

• Have gained an overview of the evolution of different greening concepts to address pressing societal challenges in the context of metropolitan regions,
• Have studied a selection of international case studies of implementation of greening,
• Have gained experience in working in small groups, moderating discussions and delivering an effective presentation,
• Have gained experience in reading, understanding and writing scientific manuscripts on urban greening.

The greening of cities and metropolitan regions has long been recognized as a planning strategy that can meet the needs of people while improving or protecting biodiversity. Cities and metropolitan regions are one of the most promising policy areas to promote transformative change towards a 'good Anthropocene' where both people and nature thrive. In this course, we introduce different greening concepts and explore their implementation in planning research and practice in two selected metropolitan regions.

The seminar will take place in the winter semester 2023/2024 and it will involve both learning performed individually in preparation of the meetings, as well as joint learning in presence.

Adem Esmail, B., Cortinovis, C., Suleiman, L., Albert, C., Geneletti, D., Mörtberg, U., (2022): Greening cities through urban planning: A literature review on the uptake of concepts and methods in Stockholm. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 72, 127584 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2022.127584

Adem Esmail, B., Geneletti, D. (2020): Ecosystem Services for Urban Water Security: Concepts and Applications in Sub-Saharan Africa. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-45666-5

Geneletti, D., Cortinovis, C., Zardo, L., Adem Esmail, B. (2020): Planning for ecosystem services in cities. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-20024-4

TEEB (2011). TEEB Manual for Cities: Ecosystem Services in Urban Management. The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB): Geneva.

In the context of the seminar you will rediscover living spaces of the city and work on (usually planning) relevant problems. You will get an insight into different (multi)functional spaces of the urban matrix and their conflicts of use. After an introductory phase, you will work in small groups on impulse presentations on selected urban spaces. These will be visited on small excursions and examined using various methods. In small groups you will develop visions to make these spaces more future-proof and present these visions for discussion. You will learn transdisciplinary thinking and working, practice working independently on problems in a team and presenting proposed solutions.

Multifunctionality and ecosystem services of urban landscapes and habitats, stakeholder perspectives and conflicts, transdisciplinary research approaches and methods.

Active seminar, field work, evaluation

Theoretical basics: introduction, research of technical literature, impulse lectures, teaching of methods.

Practical part: excursions with small data collection and investigations, development of proposed solutions, preparation of presentation and discussion

Evaluation part: application of problem-oriented, transdisciplinary working methods for the development, presentation and discussion of proposed solutions

Own work: literature research on the topic, planning and implementation of a field trip and mini-field research with short presentations, evaluation, documentation, preparation of suitable presentation/report form (e.g. position/discussion paper, flyer, poster, podcast)

Wiggering, et al. 2003. The Concept of Multifunctionality in Sustainable Land Development, in: Sustainable Development of Multifunctional Landscapes. Springer, pp. 3–18. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-05240-2_1

Weber et al. 2014. Herbaceous plants as filters: Immobilization of particulates along urban street corridors. Environmental Pollution 186: 234–240. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2013.12.011

Säumel et al. 2016: Towards livable and healthy urban streets: road-side vegetation provides ecosystem services where people live and move. Environmental Science and Policy. doi:10.1016/j.envsci.2015.11.012

Säumel et al. 2019. Edible City Solutions—One Step Further to Foster Social Resilience through Enhanced Socio-Cultural Ecosystem Services in Cities. Sustainability 2019, 11(4), 972. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11040972

Pille & Säumel 2021. The water-sensitive city meets biodiversity: habitat services of rain water management measures in highly urbanized landscapes. Ecology and Society 26(2):23. https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-12386-260223

Säumel & Sanft 2022. Crisis mediated new discoveries, claims and encounters: Changing use and perception of residential greenery in multistory housing in Berlin, Germany. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2022.127622

Further literature will be announced during the seminar.

This course aims at analysing the interactions between soils, their functions and climate change. In this way, the contribution of soils in driving and mitigating climate change processes will be elucidated.

In the context of climate change, soils can act in two different ways. On the one hand, changes in temperature and rainfall regime will affect biological, chemical and physical processes and properties in soils, which can result in increases or reductions in soil fertility, erosion risks and overall ecosystem services. On the other hand, soils can directly and indirectly contribute to climate change by releasing green house gases such as CO2, CH4 or N2O, or by sequestering CO2 through the accumulation of soil organic matter.

After a general introduction into the topic by Prof. Marschner the students will choose a topic from the following list or some other related topic for their oral presentation and their term paper:

Possible topics are:

• Cooling potential of urban soils
• Climate change and desertification
• Climate change and erosion risk
• Thawing processes of permafrost soils
• Technical options for increasing carbon sequestration in soils
• "Carbon farming"
• Biochar application for carbon sequestration
• Role of bogs and fens in the global C-cycle
• C-dynamics in soils during afforestation/deforestation
• Climate change and irrigation requirements for agricultural production

https://www.eea.europa.eu/signals/signals-2019-content-list/articles/soil-land-and-climate-change

Today, many political decisions in urban and regional development are no longer conceivable or feasible without citizen participation. A distinction must be made between different levels of participation: Are citizens merely listened to, are they involved, can they participate, or can they decide for themselves? Is participation only informal, or is it based on legal principles? Under what conditions and by means of what procedures can citizen participation have a conflict-defusing effect? Which typical mistakes in the design of citizen participation lead to the escalation of conflicts?

The seminar aims to enable students, as actors in urban and regional development, to recognize problems relevant to citizen participation at an early stage and to initiate, develop or apply suitable citizen participation procedures on a case-by-case basis.

In the first part of the seminar, we will deal with the basics of formalized forms of citizen participation (incl. direct democracy) at the municipal or regional level from a democratic-theoretical and legal perspective. In the second part of the seminar, we will focus on deliberative forms of citizen participation, which are predominantly informal and outside of legal regulations and focus on public discourse on issues of urban and regional development. We discuss the methods available for such forms of citizen participation and develop quality criteria for them. In the third part of the seminar, we will deepen the topic by means of concrete case studies of successful or unsuccessful citizen participation, identify the decisive factors and develop - in the sense of a policy advisory approach - measures on how citizen participation could be improved and optimized.

Will be announced during the course

You will work out important, special or even strange facts about the Federal Republic of Germany, present them first in the context of an oral presentation and place these facts in the edifice of geography and, if applicable, its neighboring sciences. In doing so, you will expand and reflect your understanding as well as your perception of Germany. However, topics concerning the Ruhr area and structural change are forbidden! 
Research and preparation of data and information; written and oral presentation of work results. Discursive discussion of the offered topics in the plenum.

Area studies (or regional geography?) pursues the goal of presenting a space as a causally functional world of appearance in a holistic conception. This approach goes far beyond the often critically commented encyclopedic-compilatory presentations of earlier years. Language teaching also includes elements of regional studies, and regional studies approaches lend themselves to culture-based learning
(e.g., https://deutschlernerblog.de).
 

Mandatory preliminary discussion
Subsequent independent selection and preparation of a topic
Presentation within the framework of the meeting dates
Regular attendance and participation in the debate following the presentations
Preparation of the written examination

This is a general selection for starters!

Der Nationalatlas Bundesrepublik Deutschland, Bd. 1-12. S. a.: www.nationalatlas.de

Luscher, R. 2020: Landeskunde Deutschlands: Politik, Wirtschaft, Kultur / Landeskunde. München

Glaser, R., Gebhardt, H, & Schenk, W. 2007: Geographie Deutschlands. Darmstadt

Eckhart (Hg.) (2001): Deutschland. Gotha

Tietze u.a. (Hg.) (1990): Geographie Deutschlands. Berlin, Stuttgart

Fischer (Hg.) (2000): Geographie: Deutschland in Europa. Berlin

Geographische Rundschau, Int. Ed., Vol. 1, No. 1/2005

Geographische Rundschau, Special Edition: Federal Republic of Germany, 1988.

Depending on the topic, a variety of further, preferably quality-assured literature would of course have to be consulted.

After successful participation in the course

•     know the basics of geographical tourism research,
•     know which trends and influencing factors are currently determining the development of international tourism
•     and what effects this has on the environment and societies,
•     they can critically analyse these developments and discuss alternative
•     and discuss alternative approaches to tourism development.

The course is composed of three content blocks:

    Basics of tourism and (geographical) tourism research.
    Tourism offers and their effects on environment, society and economy
    Alternative tourism designs

Within these blocks, a variety of topics will be dealt with, whereby the participants can influence the focus. Among others, the following aspects could be addressed:

Demand side (travel behaviour of tourists, general conditions)

Supply side (destination life cycle, framework conditions such as transport, e.g. low cost carriers)

City tourism (e.g. regarding Airbnb-fication, overtourism, business and event tourism)

Cultural tourism (e.g. interaction of world heritage and tourism, industrial tourism as a component of structural change)

Coastal tourism (e.g. tourism-induced growth of coastal cities, resilience of ecosystems, interaction of diving tourism and species conservation)

Nature conservation and tourism (e.g. cooperation and conflicts in national parks, hunting tourism)

Demographic change and tourism (e.g. health tourism, cruise tourism)

Social movements in tourism (e.g. poverty tourism, voluntourism, dark tourism)

Eco- and socially sensitive tourism designs (e.g. pro-poor tourism, fair tourism, ecotourism, flight compensation)

The seminar sessions each deal with one main topic. This is accompanied by content-related impulses from the teacher, student presentations, work and discussion phases.

Topic-specific literature will be announced at the respective sessions.

The students learn about the spatial, economic, social, health-related, cultural and political dimensions of housing as the most important municipal provision of public services and housing as a central city builder. The connection of the topic with the complex tasks and challenges of the municipalities from climate change, sustainability, traffic change, demographic and economic development makes clear to them the difficulties and possible ways to develop consistent concepts and courses of action on the levels of buildings, neighbourhoods and the city as a whole.

The term economic development is a frequently used buzzword, which, however, only rudimentarily reflects the areas of responsibility that are dealt with in the respective municipalities and regions.

Economic development is one of the central tasks of the public sector in coping with the structural change triggered by globalisation and in actively shaping regional competitiveness. Regions and municipalities are increasingly competing for companies and workers with regard to high-quality location requirements and a far-reaching external image, which is why regional economic development is continuously gaining in importance. At the same time, the demands on economic development staff are becoming increasingly complex.

The broad field of employment in economic development is dealt with and discussed by means of a specific selection of topics. This includes an insight into different theories of regional development and the basics of regional policy, as well as the relevant actors, concepts and instruments at European, national and municipal level. Furthermore, the methods of location and regional analysis, regional marketing and evaluation relevant to the professional field are taught.

 . Site visit and criteria for urban and socio-spatial assessment
 . Models, urban models, mobility and settlement forms and their significance for housing
 . Analytical concepts and interests of actors in the real estate and housing market .
 . Privately financed and subsidised housing as well as non-profit and cooperative housing providers .
 . Design impetus, land policy, possibilities and limits of the municipalities .
 . Shrinkage, Growth and Continuity in Housing Construction (Regional and Citywide Markets)
 . Sustainability and climate: structures and special influencing factors
 . Concepts, strategies, plans and projects

• Introduction to audio-visual methods of qualitative spatial research
• Teaching of technical and ethical-artistic basics of cameras, image composition and video editing
• Exemplary application of the learned audio-visual methods in the field using two examples of participatory urban development (Duisburg and Oberhausen)

Students first learn the basics of qualitative spatial research as well as the possibilities and challenges of audio-visual methods in this context. Building on this, they will delve deeper into video-based interviews and observations for qualitative research purposes. In addition to scientific and methodological skills, students will also acquire technical, artistic and communicative skills. Based on a self-selected question, the students will apply the learned methods exemplarily on the basis of two participatory urban development projects (Urbane Zukunft Ruhr / Duisburg-Hochfeld and Creative City Oberhausen) and document, reflect and present them to the actors on site within the framework of an ePortfolio (for further information, see below).

1. Binding pre-meeting on 13.10.2023, 12-15 pm, IA 02/111: seminar structure, ePortfolio as examination performance, introduction to the examination rooms, assignment of a homework over the semester. 
2. During the semester, two half-day excursions to Oberhausen and Duisburg.
3. 1st block day, 12.02.2024, 9-17h: Investigating spaces qualitatively audio-visually: Theoretical introduction, scientific communication and research ethics (with support from external experts).
4. 2nd block day, 13.02.2024, 9-17h: Methodological introduction to audio-visual interviews (speaking & narrating) and ethnography (observing & experiencing)
5. 3rd block day, 14.02.2024, 9-17h: Technical introduction + exercises in qualitative elicitation using photography and video (with support from external experts)
6. 4th block day, 15.02.2024, 9-17h: Technical introduction + exercises in qualitative elicitation using photography and video (with support from external experts)
7. 5th block day, 16.02.2024, 9-17h: examination of the study areas, development of a study framework, joint planning of the independent field visit
8. 17.02.-24.03.2024: independent survey and evaluation phase and writing of the ePortfolio
9. Obligatory follow-up meeting (planned for April 2024): Presentation of the results on site

Creative City Lab Oberhausen: https://clab-oberhausen.de/ueber-clab/

Heinrich, A. J.; Marguin, S.; Million, A.; Stollmann, J. (Hrsg.) (2021): Handbuch qualitative und visuelle Methoden der Raumforschung. Bielefeld.

Schlottmann, A.; Miggelbrink, J. (Hrsg.) (2015): Visuelle Geographien. Zur Produktion, Aneignung und Vermittlung von RaumBildern. Bielefeld.

Urbane Zukunft Ruhr Duisburg: https://i-r.de/magazin/artikel/hochfeld-interview-hohn

Zum ePortfolio als Prüfungsleistung: https://www.e-teaching.org/lehrszenarien/pruefung/pruefungsform/eportfolio

Beispiel: Projektstudie 2021 zum Leben mit dem Tourismus im Schwarzwald im M.Sc: Geographie des Globalen Wandels, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg: https://www.huge.geographie.uni-freiburg.de/projektstudien/schwarzwald2021/