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.

Module: Lecture + Seminar

Preliminary discussion of ALL seminars at the end of the lecture on 06.05.2025. 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 (module consisting of lecture and seminar: 6 CP) 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.

In addition to the lecture, Master's students of Socioeconomics can also attend the seminar ‘Geographical Development Research’ offered by Mr Schulte-Derne. 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. However, attendance of the lecture is strongly recommended in order to build up a scientific basis and in connection with the seminar.

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 plan:

15.04.2025 1.Introduction, concept & organisation of the lecture
                        Basics of a world economic geography

22.04.2025 2. globalisation and space: term, preconditions, processes, effects

29.04.2025 3. theoretical approaches and concepts of a world economic geography
                     
06.05.2025 4. world trade: spatial interdependencies, embeddings, implications
                         Seminar discussion at the end of the lecture

13.05.2025 5. ‘Global governance’ perspective: role of politics and spatial effectiveness

20.05.2025 6.Perspective I: Raw materials and energy - disparities between global supply and demand

27.05.2025 7.Perspective II: Agriculture between globalisation and regionalisation

03.06.2025 8.Perspective III: Industry - Locations, regional dynamics and networks

10.06.2025 Whitsun holidays: no lecture

17.06.2025 9.Perspective IV: Services: Trade, logistics, finance and tourism in a global spatial context

24.06.2025 10.Global Problem Areas & Space I: Geographical Development Research and Perspectives on the Integration of the so-called Global South

01.07.2025 11.Global Problem Areas & Space II: Environment and Sustainability

08.07.2025 12.Global Problem Areas & Space III: Wars, Crime, Terrorism, Geopolitics

15.07.2025 13th closed session (12.15-13.15)

Seminar programme for the lecture:

Programme Seminar Management
BA BWL compulsory (module) M.A.-Geogr. Steffen Lotz: Block seminar: Special topics in world economic geography
BA VWL Compulsory (module) M.A.-Geogr. Steffen Lotz: Block seminar: Special topics in world economic geography
BA/BSc Geography (RUB) Compulsory (module) M.A.-Geogr. Steffen Lotz: Block seminar: Special topics in world economic geography

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

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

References will follow in the lecture.

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

- Critical analysis of the conceptual understanding and planning approach of green infrastructure
- Helping to shape green infrastructure in the Ruhr region through knowledge transfer between research and practice

Open space development, environmental planning, nature-based solutions, (blue) green infrastructure: isn't it all the same thing? Isn't that exactly what the Ruhr region has been doing for more than a century and why does it need a new (?) understanding of planning right now?

This seminar will move at the intersection of science and practice and will deal with green infrastructure as a strategic planning approach as well as with practical knowledge from successful implementation projects.

After developing a common, conceptual understanding of green infrastructure, the seminar will focus on the 27 action goals of the Green Infrastructure Strategy for the Ruhr Metropolis. In presentations, which will subsequently be developed into term papers, the students will each address one of the 27 action goals in detail. The focus is on questions such as: How can green infrastructure be used to plan healthy cities, promote natural climate protection, rethink agriculture and forestry, promote active mobility and establish environmental justice? Which stakeholders are needed to systematically qualify and expand green infrastructure in a region like the Ruhr? Which prerequisites need to be created by whom in order to realise the respective action goal, both in terms of instruments and processes? What good examples of projects already exist in this region and what can the Ruhr learn from other regions (of the world)?

In short: How should green infrastructure be developed in the Ruhr region in the future?

(i) Basics: Development of a common, conceptual understanding of green infrastructure; input from the lecturer + joint discourse.

(ii) Coursework: Presentations by students on one of the 27 action goals of the Green Infrastructure Strategy for the Ruhr Metropolis, including group discussion.

(iii) Examination: Elaboration of the presentations into term papers (max. 15 pages, submission 6 weeks after presentation), which summarise the current debate on applied research on green infrastructure, apply this to the respective topic area and point out planning and implementation options.

The possible topics of the presentations and term papers are based on the 27 action goals of the Ruhr Metropolis Green Infrastructure Strategy, such as

- Planning health-effective, climate-adapted (inner) cities
- Promoting environmental justice through green infrastructure
- Designing climate roads
- Developing sponge cities and sponge landscapes
- Advancing natural climate protection
- Promoting participation and involvement, e.g. through community gardens
- Strengthening urban food production
- Expanding industrial nature and urban wilderness
- Renaturalise watercourses
- Increase regional added value through green infrastructure
- Combining green infrastructure and renewable energies
- Implement ecological route management
- Promoting active mobility

Predominantly topic-dependent.

Common basis:
RVR (Hrsg.), 2024: Strategie Grüne Infrastruktur Metropole Ruhr. Online verfügbar unter: https://www.rvr.ruhr/fileadmin/user_upload/01_RVR_Home/02_Themen/Umwelt_Oekologie/Offensive_GI/GI_Strategie/SGI_2024.pdf 

Based on European ecosystems, the students deepen their knowledge in vegetation science, plant-related ecological processes, ecosystem management, and biodiversity. They learn about the differences between near-natural and highly modified/urbanized ecosystems, and what these differences mean for managing and conserving nature.

Ecosystems and their species communities are strongly influenced by the management of natural resources. In this regard, highly modified and urbanized ecosystems can differ strongly from natural and near-natural ecosystems. The way we use, manage and design ecosystems impacts the biodiversity and the ecological processes that we can observe and measure. Different anthropogenic impacts as well as ecological strategies will be presented and discussed to advance the understanding of vegetation patterns, ecosystem ecology, and land-use conflicts. Special attention will be given to urbanization as a driver of vegetation patterns and to ecosystems along rivers and streams.

In many geographical professions, working with geodata is not limited to the use of geoinformation systems in the office and existing geodata. Numerous fields of activity - for example in agriculture, biotope and nature conservation, cadastral administration or infrastructure management - also include work in the field, the success of which depends on the precise recording of up-to-date field data.

UAVs (drones) make it possible to record the condition of the terrain efficiently and with maximum up-to-dateness - also in three dimensions - and thus provide information to supplement and update existing geodata or to create highly up-to-date terrain and object views and plans.

The aim of the seminar is to provide a first introduction to the world of remote sensing with drones in the field and to give an overview of the basic possibilities of this methodology. The various aspects of capturing geodata using UAVs will be examined by the students in presentation form and finally tested and presented using their own exemplary field work.

Relevant basics as well as hardware and software solutions for remote sensing with drones in the field, e.g.

• UAVs
• flight planning
• Satellite positioning (GNSS)
• Evaluation software
• Fields of application
• etc.

Conception and execution of an exemplary field work using the techniques learned.

Further content may be added as the course progresses.

Will be announced in the seminar.

Try your hand as a consultant and develop recommendations for action and future concepts for universities together on the basis of analyses and discussions!
We all spend the majority of our time in and at university, but what makes a university what it is and how does it influence the entire city and region? What challenges does the university management face and what can development prospects look like for them?
And last but not least: Why are you, as a geographer, particularly well suited to advising companies, cities or universities? There are answers to these questions in this seminar.
You will acquire:
 Knowledge of the German academic system
 Knowledge of the connections between universities and regions
 Knowledge of the options available to German universities
 an understanding of counselling, including the opportunity to gain your own experience
 the ability to reflect critically, counselling methods and key soft skills
 Application of many of the competences learnt during the degree course to a practical example

The main topics of the seminar are
 How does the German science system work?
 How do universities and regions influence each other?
 How does counselling work?
 How do I put the methods I have learnt into practice?

1) Expectations, getting to know each other, structure of the seminar, overview of the German science system
2) Importance of scientific institutions for the region, university and urban development (input Adler); distribution of topics (2-3 people per team for 6 short presentations)
3) Work phase - digital exchange with the lecturer
4) Input from other people, e.g: RUB science management; Bochum Economic Development Agency; RUB management, person from a university of applied sciences, other experts
5) Input short presentations (students) Topics: Teaching, research, transfer, region, administration, construction
6) Work assignment ‘Carry out a SWOT analysis for university XY and develop recommendations for action based on this!’ (Input Adler); current challenges of universities, development of example universities by the students / formation of groupsWork assignment “Make a SWOT analysis for university XY and develop recommendations for action based on this!” (Input Adler); current challenges of universities, development of example universities by the students / formation of groups (3-5 people per group; 3 groups)
7) Concrete analysis approaches, possible formats, quantitative and qualitative approaches, interviews (input Adler)
8) Basic knowledge of counselling as a professional field; basic knowledge of project management, communication management, data management (input Adler)
9) Work phase: exchange with the lecturer
10) Work phase: exchange with the lecturer on site
11) Work phase: exchange with the lecturer
12) Presentation and discussion; internal
13) Presentation and discussion; introduction to which university representatives of the analyzed universities are invited
14) Review of the discussions and results; review of the procedure and results of the seminar, lessons learned, mutual feedback

Will be announced in the seminar.

Today, around half of the world's population lives in the urban sprawl surrounding cities. Neither fish nor fowl, this frequently ignored area does not fit into the ideal image of the city, with its urban advantages, and the countryside, with its open spaces and ecological qualities. Students deal with this phenomenon by looking at and designing the transition from city to countryside. 
They recognize the conceptual and planning difficulties arising from the historical, social, economic and ecological confrontation with the immensely large and diverse areas that make up our cities. They are also asked what opportunities and possibilities exist through interventions on the edges of cities to overcome the current multiple crises and disasters. With the knowledge they have acquired so far, the analysis of case studies and a literature-based theoretical discussion, the students formulate their own ideas, scenarios and hypothetical strategies as options for action for the future of urban fringes. In this way, they approach their own future work in urban and landscape planning, regional and state planning and mobility planning in an ongoing and promising task. 

The “non-city” outside the city has a long history of development: the engravings of Matthäus Merian already show cities whose settlement did not end at the city walls. Later, Ebenezer Howard tried to combine the advantages of the city with the advantages of the countryside with his concept of the Garden City, and Frank Lloyd Wright's idea of the Broadacre City paved the way for the automobile-driven urban sprawl that spread to Europe after the Second World War. Encouraged and promoted by cheap land prices, a family-oriented social model and liberal planning practices, a mixture of villages imitating villages, but monotonous and monofunctional single-family house areas or large housing estates, extensive, meaningless commercial and industrial areas and externalized urban infrastructures consisting of sewage treatment plants, waste dumps, power stations and wide traffic routes emerged on the periphery of 19th century cities.

With the end of growth, the clever use of the edges will be on the planning agenda for a long time to come. Can Howard's idea be refreshed in new and existing buildings and lead to a better result? What potential lies in the ecotones of different ecosystem, ecotope and biotope types? What needs to be done to renew the numerous industrial estates in terms of urban planning, climate and ecology? What opportunities lie in the low densities of single-family housing areas and what form should local public transport and social and commercial supply structures take in order to complete the areas on the outskirts of cities? 

There are opportunities for realization if the quality of the urban spaces is clearly enhanced, the orientation and hierarchy of the quarters and districts are clearly worked out and the available urban building blocks are used imaginatively, without, of course, following the often euphemistic promises made at this point.

• The built city as a reflection of social developments, urban planning models and the consequences for the outskirts of cities
• Spatial, economic, ecological, design, temporal and socio-spatial consequences of global crises and disasters, general trends and requirements as well as specific challenges for the outskirts of major German cities
• Identifying key topics, content and objectives for dealing with the urban fringes
• Development of scenarios for the further development of urban fringes and discussion of transferability
• Use of formal and informal plans and instruments for planning interventions on the outskirts of cities
• Possibilities and limits of political and administrative control as well as important groups of actors and the different interests involved 
• Instruments and strategies for the realization of planning concepts

Barmann-Krämer, Gabriela / Lampugnani, Vittorio Magnago / Brandl, Anne 2007: Handbuch zum Stadtrand. Basel

Becker, Heidede / Sander, Robert / Jessen, Johann (Hrsg.) 1999: Ohne Leitbild? Stuttgart

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

Christ, Wolfgang / Bölling, Lars 2006: Bilder einer Zwischenstadt – Ikonografie und Szenografie eines Urbanisierungsprozesses. Wuppertal 

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

Friedrich, Sabine 2003: Umbau der Wohnungsbestände am Stadtrand. Zürich

Gehl, Jan 2015: Städte für Menschen, Berlin

Kegler, Harald 2021: Resilienz. Strategien und perspektiven für die widerstandsfähige und lernende Stadt. Braunschweig

Kröck, Eckart / Sieverts, Thomas / Strunk, Roland / Mahler, Ingrid 1989: Perspektiven künftiger Siedlungsentwicklung. Neue Siedlungsstrukturen als ökologische Chance? Darmstadt

Sonne, Wolfgang 2014: Urbanität und Dichte im Städtebau des 20. Jahrhunderts. Berlin

Sieverts, Thomas 1997: Zwischenstadt. Zwischen Ort und Welt, Raum und Zeit, Stadt und Land. Brauschweig

Sieverts, Thomas / Koch, Michael / Stein, Ursula / Steinbusch, Michael 2005: Zwischenstadt – inzwischen Stadt? Entdecken, Begreifen, Wuppertal 

Stratmann, Bernhard 1999: Stadtentwicklung in globalen Zeiten: Lokale Strategien, städtische Lebensqualität und Globalisierung. Basel und Berlin

Concepts, plans, ... also in the context of urban development reports, urban development plans, situation reports ... from various major German cities

Visits, interviews and participation in discussions and events.

Further literature / sources / references will follow at the start of the seminar.

The research workshop at the GI is intended to enable students to work on research projects both individually and in small groups, not bound 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 horizon of learning and experience, which will have a positive effect on the choice of a topic for their Master's thesis as well as their later career decision. Practising self-organisation, independent work and the assumption of responsibility are important goals that should lead to greater motivation and a stronger commitment to their studies and geography.

The content can be requested individually from other lecturers.

Andreas Pflitsch/Teresa Mansheim:

For the summer term, I am offering the following topics and locations:

Alaska

As part of the research in the glacier caves and the former copper mines of Kennekott/McCarthy in the Wrangell St. Elias National Park in Alaska, an approximately 14-day research trip will be carried out in September 2025. Up to 3 students can take part in this trip.

The trip will focus on recording the cave structures of glacier caves using laser scanners, as well as recording various climatological parameters such as air temperature and air currents. The same measurements will be taken in the icy mines.

Overall, the trip has a certain adventurous character.

The research work is quite strenuous, as we sometimes have to hike for several hours to the research sites. Accommodation is in tents, without much comfort. We will reach one of the research sites by small aeroplane, where we will stay for a few days. At least there is a simple hut with a stove so that we can warm up there in the evening and dry our damp clothes. But there is hardly a better way to experience the breathtaking landscapes and glaciers of Alaska.

The cost will be around €1,000 to €1,300 (excluding flights to Alaska).

Dechenhöhle in Iserlohn and other topics:

On individual request

If you have any further questions, please contact me by e-mail (andreas.pflitsch@rub.de).

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

Will be announced by the lecturers.

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 focusses on various topics and different research areas. Exercises are also planned. The following topics will be on the programme:

•     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: focussing on the mobility transition?
•     Nature & health
•     Soundscapes - more than just noise
•     Climate and health
•     Infectious diseases, epidemics, pandemics...
•     Flight and health
•     War conflicts and health
•     Focus on chronic diseases: Challenges and prospects
•     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
•     The future of health care

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

The links between energy demand and climate change, but also between energy, prosperity and peace, are currently being spelt out in stark terms. The transition from fossil fuels to ‘renewables’ creates additional demands on land, new planning tasks, costs and social conflicts. However, continued dependence on fossil fuels is not an option for a number of reasons. Knowledge of the process structure of the ‘energy transition’, the consideration of alternative development paths as well as the knowledge and evaluation of options for action are the focus of this course.

Some of the 17 sustainability goals of the United Nations will be discussed in the course, in particular

Goal 7: Affordable and clean energy

Goal 8: Decent work and economic growth

Goal 9: Industry, innovation and infrastructure

Goal 12: Responsible consumption and production

Goal 13: Climate Action

https://sdgs.un.org/goals

Components of the energy transition, methods for generating, transmitting and storing energy, direct and indirect influences on the landscape, in particular the landscape, possibilities for avoidance and mitigation, participation procedures, acceptance problems, planning of infrastructure projects

Weekly sessions with keynote speeches and discussion

Quaschning, Volker 2020: Erneuerbare Energien und Klimaschutz. Hintergründe, Techniken und Planung, Ökonomie und Ökologie, Energiewende. 5., aktual. Aufl., München

Smil, Vaclav 2017: Energy and Civilization. A History. Cambridge, MA

Becker, Sören, Britta Klagge, Matthias Naumann 2021: Energiegeographie. Stuttgart

Etscheit, Georg (Hg.) 2016: Geopferte Landschaften. Wie die Energiewende unsere Umwelt zerstört. München

Ekart, Felix 2014: Jahrhundertaufgabe Energiewende. Ein Handbuch. Berlin

Rhodes, Richard 2018: Energy. A Human History. New York u. a.

Kühne, Olaf & Florian Weber (Hg.) 2017: Bausteine der Energiewende. Berlin, Heidelberg

Holler, Christian & Joachim Gaukel 2019: Erneuerbare Energien. Ohne heiße Luft. München

Being able to analyse spatial information in modern spatial data infrastructures is a key skill in many specialist areas. This seminar provides a sound introduction to the architecture, implementation and utilisation of spatial data infrastructures.
The course covers not only the conceptual foundations, but also the technical tools and processes required for their development and implementation. In addition, the legal framework and relevant standards will be analysed.
Special emphasis is placed on practical approaches to the development and management of spatial data infrastructures at regional, national and international level. The seminar combines theoretical principles with practical case studies and promotes the application of the content in individual projects. The aim is to prepare participants for the challenges and potential in this area and to equip them with the necessary skills for independent work with spatial data infrastructures.

The course teaches practical applications with various software solutions such as ArcGIS Online for story maps and dashboards, QGIS for geospatial web services, OpenEO and Jupyter Notebooks for processing satellite data and Docker for the provision and scaling of GIS applications.

The course is designed as a supervised, asynchronous self-study course. The course content is provided via the Moodle learning management system of the Ruhr University Bochum. Participants work on the content independently and then upload the results to the platform. The lecturers are available during the course to answer technical and content-related questions. Kick-off and finalisation will take place in person.

Will be announced in the seminar.

Students will

• have knowledge of the historical and current political developments in the Middle East and parts of the Maghreb.
• understand the causes of migration and flight in the region.
• be able to comprehend and critically engage with different positions on migration issues and the Middle East conflict based on this knowledge.
• know the interests of the EU in the tension between human rights claims and its own security needs.
• understand the impacts on the economy, politics, and society in Germany.
• be able to formulate and defend their own positions on aspects of the events.
• have the academic tools to analyze other geopolitical conflicts and migration issues in a fact-based and structured manner.

The course is divided into several blocks, one of which focuses on recent developments in the Middle East conflict (Israel-Palestine), while others complement this by addressing the backgrounds and impacts within the region (including the Maghreb) and worldwide reactions. Additionally, migration issues in North Africa will be addressed. A focus will be on the reactions and role of the EU. The question of how geopolitical developments can be analyzed runs as a cross-cutting theme throughout the course. Content includes, for example:

• Basic concepts of academic discourse (such as “conflict,” “geopolitics,” “migration,” “flight,” “asylum,” “non-refoulement principle,” “securitization,” “border protection,” “deportation,” “rejection,” “readmission,” “talent partnerships”)
• Political, economic, and social foundations of the states in the Middle East and the Maghreb
• Causes and backgrounds of flight and migration issues in North Africa
• Historical backgrounds of the Middle East conflict
• Regional and international actors in the conflict (e.g., Israeli government, settler movement, Hamas, Hezbollah, Houthi, Iran, USA, UNRWA)
• Flight and migration movements within and out of the region
• The special situation of Palestinian refugees in the international protection regime and the role of UNRWA
• Interests and policies of the EU (especially Mediterranean and neighborhood policy, migration, development, and security policy)
• Impacts on and reactions in Germany, e.g., regarding legal provisions and administrative procedures for the entry and stay of students and workers from the region, asylum procedures, deportations, and repatriations

Literature on the specific topics will be provided in preparation for the respective seminar session.

Here some recommendations for introductory readings:

• Asseburg, Muriel und Jan Busse (2024): Der Nahostkonflikt: Geschichte, Positionen, Perspektiven, München: C.H.Beck.
• Asseburg, Muriel (2021): Palästina und die Palästinenser: Eine Geschichte von der Nakba bis zur Gegenwart. München. 
• Schneider, Richard C. (2023): Die Sache mit Israel. Fünf Fragen zu einem komplizierten Land. München.
• Jünemann, Annette und Anja Zorob (Hrsg.): Arabellions. Zur Vielfalt von Protest und Revolte im Nahen Osten und Nordafrika. Wiesbaden..
• Zorob, A. (2011): Trümmerfeld Gaza: Wirtschaftliche und humanitäre Folgen von Krieg und Blockade/Scene of Devastation in Gaza: Economic and Humanitarian Impact of War and Embargo, in: Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung und Christian Sterzing (Hrsg.): Palästina und die Palästinenser. 60 Jahre nach der Nakba/Palestine and the Palestinians. 60 Years after the Nakba, Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung: 171-188.

The course aims to introduce some of the main critical perspectives in the fields of cultural and development studies, as well as urban and regional planning in the context of geography and spatial sciences.

The students will familiarize themselves with authors and theories that challenge the hegemonic view or that inspired and supported the emergence of counter-narratives.

The final outcome of the course is the production of counter cartographies based on the discussions conducted in class. 

The course is divided into blocks focused on specific themes that will be covered during the sessions.

The themes will be discussed based on academic and non-academic texts, and personal experiences will be encouraged to be shared during dynamic talks. 

The themes that will guide the sessions are:

• Systems Theory / Systemic Thinking
• Critical Spatial Theories
• Political Ecology and Critical Discourse
• Globalization(s) and Developments
• Gender, ethnics, and the non-hegemonic being.
• Critical Methods – Participative Geographies, Remote Sensing, and how to apply the critical perspective.

The seminar structure is based on presentations, readings, collective discussions, and practical application of the concepts.

Every session will have an introduction presenting the topic followed by students' presentations and discussions guided by the guiding texts.

Based on the topics raised during the discussions and personal experiences, in groups, the students will develop a final project that consists of a counter-cartography of a free-elected topic. Particular sessions will be defined to present the project's development and receive input from other participants.

This is a suggested list, other supplementary readings will be given before the sessions:

Systems Theory / Systemic Thinking

Meadows, Donella H. (2015). "Thinking in Systems". White River Junction, VT: Chelsea Green Publishing.

Website: https://donellameadows.org/

Baraldi, Claudio, Corsi, Giancarlo and Esposito, Elena. (2021). "Unlocking Luhmann: A Keyword Introduction to Systems Theory". Bielefeld University Press.

Critical Spatial Theories

Neil Brenner and Nikos Katsikis, (2020). "Operational landscapes: hinterlands of the capitalocene," Architectural Design / AD 90, no. 1: 22-31.

Schmid, Christian. (2013). "Networks, Borders, Differences: Towards a Theory of the Urban" In Implosions /Explosions: Towards a Study of Planetary Urbanization edited by Neil Brenner, 67-81. Berlin, Boston: JOVIS. https://doi.org/10.1515/9783868598933-005

Political Ecology

Foucault, Michel. (1982). "The Subject and Power." Critical Inquiry 8, no. 4.

Robbins, Paul. (2012). Political Ecology: A Critical Introduction, Second Edition. John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Glassman, J. (2006). Primitive accumulation, accumulation by dispossession, accumulation by ‘extra-economic’ means. Progress in Human Geography, 30(5), 608-625.

Harvey, David. (2009). The new Imperialism. Accumulation by dispossession. Vol. 40: Socialist Register

Movie: Total Recall (1990) Dir. Verhoeven, Paul.

Website: https://www.situatedecologies.net/films/

Globalizations and Development

Santos, Milton. (2017) Toward an Other Globalization: From the Single Thought to Universal Conscience. 1st ed.

Hickel, Jason. (2015). https://www.theguardian.com/global-development-professionals-network/2015/sep/23/developing-poor-countries-de-develop-rich-countries-sdgs

Kothari, Ashish. (2019). Pluriverse : A Post-Development Dictionary. First published. New Delhi, India: Tulika Books.

Escobar, A. (2015). Degrowth, postdevelopment, and transitions: a preliminary conversation. Sustain Sci 10, 451–462

Gender, ethnics, and the non-hegemonic being.

Sharp, Joanne P. (2000). Entanglements of Power : Geographies of Domination/Resistance. London: Routledge.

Lugones, M. (2008). The Coloniality of Gender. Worlds & Knowledges Otherwise

Critical Methods – Participative Geographies, Remote Sensing, and how to apply the critic

Bennett, Mia M., (2020). Is a pixel worth 1000 words? Critical remote sensing and China's Belt and Road Initiative, Political Geography, Volume 78 

Bennett, M. M., Chen, J. K., Alvarez León, L. F., & Gleason, C. J. (2022). The politics of pixels: A review and agenda for critical remote sensing. Progress in Human Geography, 46(3), 729-752.

People and Pixels: Linking Remote Sensing and Social Science (1998). Washington, DC: The National Academies Press

Brown, G., Kytt, M.(2014). Key issues and research priorities for public participation GIS (PPGIS): A synthesis based on empirical research. Applied Geography 46, 122–136.

• Efficient, automated analysis of large data sets
• Creation of meaningful scientific illustrations
• Confident handling of basic descriptive and inferential statistics
• Safe development of reusable scientific software
• Processing (analysis and visualization) of vector and raster geodata

The course begins with a brief review of basic concepts of the Python programming language and important data science libraries such as pandas. In addition, the version management system git is introduced and used throughout the course.
In the further course, complex visualizations are created (matplotlib, seaborn) and parametric and non-parametric statistical tests are applied (scipy).
In the last third, the focus is on the processing and visualization of geodata in vector and raster format (geopandas, rasterio, ...).
Another session will deal with "Code Quality" and concepts for "maintainability" of Python code as well as automated tests to ensure the desired functionality with pytest.

Weekly course in presence divided into:

• Presentation and overview of new content
• Code Along session with practical examples
• Independent application of the new content using short tasks in the course

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:
1. causes of the housing shortage or housing deficits
2. fundamentals of housing and land policy in Germany and NRW
3. instruments of housing construction and renewal
4. alternative approaches
5. reflection and discussion

Will be announced in the seminar.

Learning to identify woody plants, especially in winter; knowledge of the characteristics of the most common Central European tree species and their use in forestry; discussion of selected issues of forest ecology and utilization.

Forests are on everyone's lips, whether for nature conservation or climate adaptation. The tree species that make up Central European forests can be planted or spontaneously grown. They can also be on the red list or be invasive neophytes. But can you tell the different woody plants apart in winter when there are no leaves on the deciduous trees?
In the seminar, we will learn to identify the most important woody plants in Central Europe outside the Alps based on their buds and other morphological characteristics. We will also receive information on the ecology and use of the species and in which forest communities we can find them. Selected topics of forest ecology and forest management will round off the seminar and there will be an opportunity to discuss current forest-related topics.

Seminar consisting of (i) input from the lecturer (possibly guest lecture), (ii) student presentations on the most common tree species and their ecological and forestry characteristics, (iii) identification exercise for recognizing woody plants in winter on the basis of buds, needles or other characteristics and (iv) field trip(s) in the forest (short excursion).

Will be announced in the seminar.

The students deal with the cumulative point of our cities. They recognize the urban content of this special piece of city from its historical and emotional significance, its effect as a figurehead to the outside world and a place of identification for the residents, as well as the high structural density and the mix of uses. At the same time, they explore the current crises and upheavals that have affected city centers and use the knowledge they have acquired so far to contribute their analyses, scenarios and hypothetical strategies for the further development of city centers to the seminar using practical examples. Deriving strategies and methods from the complex challenges with multi-layered tasks, diverse groups of actors and differing interests will help students to recognize practicable forms of action. This will also give students an impression of their own later practical work in or for a city. 

In the difficult situation of climate catastrophe and multiple crises, cities have an important moderating and compensating role due to their proximity to their inhabitants. The attack on city centers disturbs and shakes the certainty about the permanence of their intellectual, administrative and commercial center. Their integrative power is dwindling and the permanent erosion of their originality is weakening the necessary identification function for the city as a whole. 
The retail trade plays an important role in this. As a constitutive element of urban development and its further development, it is a constant topic of municipal planning, especially after the state's steering options were not used or largely failed. City centers are more than just the central location for stationary retail. With optimal transport connections, housing, offices, production, teaching and learning facilities, etc., they offer interesting potential for new approaches, perhaps even a blueprint for a new urban model.  
In the densest, most expensive, legally most complex and liveliest locations in our cities, the current conflicts, challenges and potential solutions for sustainable urban development can be explored and the future of the urban can be worked out, as if through a magnifying glass. 

• The built city as a reflection of society 
• Urban development models and the consequences for city centers
• Spatial, economic, ecological, design, temporal and socio-spatial consequences of global crises and disasters, general trends and requirements as well as specific challenges for city centers in large cities .
• Limits and possibilities of political and administrative control 
• Stakeholder groups and the different interests 
• Comparative analysis of topics, content and objectives of formal and informal plans and instruments for the development of city centers 
• Instruments and strategies for the realization of planning concepts
• Development of scenarios of an ideal-typical inner city development and discussion of transferability

• Becker, Heidede / et al. 1999: Ohne Leitbild? Stuttgart
• Brand, Ulrich 2009: Die multiple Krise. Dynamik und Zusammenhang der Krisendimensionen, Anforderungen an politische Institutionen und Chancen progressiver Politik, 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 2018: Stadtentwicklung. In: ARL – Akademie für Raumforschung und Landesplanung (Hrsg.): Handwörterbuch der Stadt- und Raumentwicklung, Hannover
• Gehl, Jan 2015: Städte für Menschen, Berlin
• Heinrich, Anna Juliane u.a. 2023: Perspektive Innenstadt, Themenheft: Planerin, Berlin
• Jacobs, Jane 1961: Death and Life of Great American Cities, New York
• Kiese, Matthias et al. 2024: Zukunft der Innenstädte, Themenheft: Standort, Zeitschrift für Angewandte Geographie, Berlin
• 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: Bochum: Innenstadt ohne Einzelhandel? In: David Ohnesorge / Julian Wékel, Institut für Städtebau und Wohnungswesen (Hrsg.), Beispielhafte Entwicklungsprojekte für innerstädtische Bereiche – Neue Materialien zur Planungskultur, München
• 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
• Innenstadtkonzepte, Innenstadtpläne, ... auch im Kontext von Stadtentwicklungsberichten, Stadtentwicklungsplänen,Lageberichten … aus verschiedenen deutschen Großstädten
• Besichtigungen, Interviews sowie Teilnahme an Diskussionen und Veranstaltungen.

Students learn about the diverse spatial economic potential of North Rhine-Westphalia. Using the economic areas of North Rhine-Westphalia, they practise the application of concepts and quantitative and qualitative methods of regional economic analysis, which enable them to identify and evaluate regional development prospects and obstacles and to draw up strategic recommendations for regional development on the basis of analyses of strengths and weaknesses and exogenous trends.

Cologne-Bonn is not East Westphalia-Lippe, and Münsterland is very different from Siegerland. As Germany's largest federal state, North Rhine-Westphalia consists of various economic areas with different regional economic structures and dynamics. The seminar develops a methodological framework for a systematic interregional comparison and uses this as a basis to evaluate the prospects of NRW's economic areas for future prosperity, regional economic resilience and the desired transformation to sustainable development and climate neutrality. This is done on the basis of regional statistical profiles and the development of region-specific development paths.

• Conceptual foundations: regionalization and path dependency; competitiveness, resilience and sustainability transformation
• Development of a common methodology for a comparative case study analysis
• Development of a comparable database with an understanding of the indicators
• Creation, presentation and discussion of economic spatial profiles
• Deriving recommendations for action for regional economic development from internal strengths and weaknesses as well as exogenous trends (SWOT analysis)
• Comparison of the economic areas and final discussion
• Involvement of experts from the economic areas

Blotevogel, H.H.; Münter, A.; Terfrüchte, T., 2009: Raumwissenschaftliche Studie zur Gliederung des Landes Nordrhein-Westfalen in regionale Kooperationsräume. Abschlussbericht. Dortmund: TU Dortmund, Fakultät Raumplanung.

Chilla, T.; Kühne, O.; Neufeld, M., 2016: Regionalentwicklung. (=UTB, 4566). Stuttgart: Ulmer.

Möller, J., 2020: Methoden der empirischen Regionalanalyse. In: Bröcker, J.; Fritsch, M. (Hrsg.): Ökonomische Geographie. (2. Aufl.). (=Vahlens Handbücher der Wirtschafts- und Sozialwissenschaften). München: Vahlen, S. 7-40.

NRW.BANK, 2024: Regionalwirtschaftliche Profile 2023. https://www.nrwbank.de/de/die-nrw-bank/research/regionalwirtschaftliche-profile [06.05.2024].

NRW.innovativ, 2024: Regionale Innovationsökosysteme. https://nrwinnovativ.de/regionen [07.05.2024].

regionen.NRW, 2024: Starke Regionen, starkes Land. https://regionen.nrw [07.05.2024].

The seminar aims to convey the basics of regional structural policy and the development of weak regions. A constructively critical understanding of regional policy funding programs will be developed and the use of funding in regional and municipal practice will be examined. 

The necessary ecological transformation of the economy and society requires far-reaching interventions in economic activity. Regional policy funding instruments also have a duty, as different opportunities and challenges arise for regions during the transformation (e.g. phasing out coal-fired power generation). Furthermore, regional policy funding programs are used to promote the ecological transformation. Against the backdrop of high investment requirements and empty public coffers, criticism of the current funding practice is being voiced. It is perceived as too complex, inflexible and ineffective. Building on the foundations of regional structural policy, in this seminar we will address the current debate on the future of (regional policy) funding programs. Using the example of the Ruhr metropolis, we will examine the handling and effects of structural policy support projects. In particular, term papers dealing with the redesign of regional policy funding instruments or the impact of individual programs are desired. 

• Introduction: 60 years of structural change and structural policy in the Ruhr region
• Structural policy and regional challenges 
• Regional policy funding programs in Germany and Europe (GRW, ERDF, JTF, ...)
• Green transformation and regional structural policy
• Impact and impact measurement of funding programs 
• Municipal budgets and funding 
• Structural policy funding projects in the Ruhr metropolis (excursions and expert discussions) 
• Panel discussion on the future of regional policy funding programs

Chilla, T.; Kühne, O.; Neufeld, M., 2016: Regionalentwicklung. (=UTB, 4566). Stuttgart: Ulmer.

Dahlbeck, E.; Gärtner, S., 2019: Gerechter Wandel für Regionen und Generationen: Erfahrungen aus dem Strukturwandel im Ruhrgebiet. Berlin: WWF-Deutschland.

European Commission, 2024: Ninth Report on Economic, Social and Territorial Cohesion. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union. https://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/sources/reports/cohesion9/9CR_Report_FINAL.pdf [06.05.2024].

Rehfeld, D.; Nordhause-Janz, J., 2017: Neue Impulse in der regionalen Industriepolitik: Jüngste Erfahrungen und Perspektiven aus arbeitspolitischer Sicht. (=Innovation, Raum und Kultur, 3). Baden-Baden: Nomos.

The learning objectives of this course are

• Acquire basic knowledge of data formats and geometries in GIS
• document routines in scripts with the R programming language using RStudio and Quarto
• introduce the concepts of reproducibility and literate programming
• calculate descriptive statistics on spatial data using R packages
• visualize spatial and non-spatial data using graphics and ggplot2

Day 1: Introduction to R and Rstudio

• Introduction round
• R syntax and objects
• Functions in RStudio
• Documenting with Quarto

Day 2: Spatial vectors

• Import/Export
• Conversion of coordinates
• Visualizing attributes

Day 3: Raster datasets

• Import/Export
• Calculations with rasters
• Converting vectors to raster

Day 4: Calculations and models

• Regression and classification models
• Landscape indicators with moving windows
• Discussion of projects

Day 5: Further exercises

• Open questions
• Discussion of application scenarios
• Conclusion (Glad-Sad-Mad)

Each day begins with an introduction in the form of a keynote speech that conveys the theory. Comments and questions are collected in a shared online document (Etherpad). Practical approaches are developed together with the students through “life coding”. The afternoons are dedicated to practical exercises and the preparation of a project.

Heinrich, Dieter, and Manfred Hergt. 2006. Dtv-Atlas Erde, Physische Geographie: Physische Geographie. Edited by Rudolf Fahnert. Orig.-Ausg., 1. Aufl. Dtv 3329. München: DTV Deutscher Taschenbuch.

Hengl, Tomislav. 2009. A Practical Guide to Geostatistical Mapping of Environmental Variables. Amsterdam. https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC38153.

Hengl, Tomislav, and Robert A. MacMillan. 2018. Predictive Soil Mapping with r. Lulu.com. https://soilmapper.org/.

Ligges, Uwe. 2008. Programmieren Mit R. Berlin: Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-79998-6.

Perpiñán Lamigueiro, Óscar. 2015. Displaying Time Series, Spatial, and Space-Time Data with r. Chapman & Hall/CRC the r Series. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, Taylor & Francis Group. https://oscarperpinan.github.io/bookvis/.

Wegmann, Martin. 2020. An Introduction to Spatial Data Analysis: Remote Sensing and GIS with Open Source Software. Edited by Jakob Schwalb-Willmann and Stefan Dech. Data in the Wild Series. Exeter: Pelagic Publishing.

Yarham, Robert. 2012. Landschaften Lesen: Die Formen Der Erdoberfläche Erkennen Und Verstehen. Edited by David Robinson and Peter Göbel. 1. Aufl. Bern: Haupt.