This course introduces students to theoretical and methodological tools from the fields of justice, urban studies, and sustainable development, providing synergistic approaches to the study of equality in sustainable cities. Students learn to analyze contemporary societal challenges caused by the intersection of climate change, sustainable development, growing inequality, increasing migration, and urbanization. Students discuss empirical examples relevant to post-socialist Eurasia to address questions like through what processes the sustainable city is created, which population groups are vulnerable in the green transition, what is the role of information in city space production, and how sustainable cities create secure spaces for human and non-human residents in a rapidly changing climate. During a practical research assignment, students train in small groups on how to work and produce knowledge collaboratively with local stakeholders, designing solutions to real-life challenges.
About the course
Content
In this course, students learn how to identify and analyse contemporary societal challenges caused by the intersection of climate change, sustainable development, growing inequality, increasing migration and urbanization.
During the course, students employ these tools to discuss in class and in smaller groups specific empirical examples relevant to post-socialist Eurasia. During a practical research, assignment students train how to work and produce knowledge together with local stakeholders in order to design solutions to real-life challenges.
Some of the questions that students should be able to address after taking the course are:
- Through what processes is the sustainable city created;
- who benefits from it and what categories are vulnerable in the process of green transition;
- how may sustainable cities create secure spaces for different categories of human and non-human residents in a rapidly changing climate;
- what is the role of information and information technologies in city space production;
- who has the right to produce, and access and distribute information;
- how do humans, non-human subjects and ideas move in the city;
- how is the environment in the city conceptualized, treated, and valued?
The course comprises online lectures and seminars, practical assignments, and two on-site intensive weeks in Uppsala, Sweden.
Learning outcomes
Knowledge and understanding
- of important theoretical concepts from the fields of justice, urban studies, and sustainable development, that are relevant to the analysis of societal challenges caused by the intersection of climate change, sustainable development, growing inequality, increasing migration, and urbanization;
- of the most important challenges in meeting the goals of sustainable and economic development and increasing social equality in urban areas;
- of basic social science methodology for research in urban areas and practices of co-production of knowledge with local stakeholders;
Competence and skills
- apply basic social research methods and produce knowledge together with local actors in urban areas;
- identify societal problems, conflicts and challenges related to green transition, social and nature justice, human security, and growing migration and urbanization;
- select relevant theoretical concepts to analyze societal challenges, injustices, and unsustainable practices;
Judgement and approach
- analyze complex societal issues and challenges of just sustainable cities from diverse and sometimes contradicting analytical and stakeholders' perspectives;
- compare regulations, practices and solutions from different parts of the world;
- make informed suggestions about solutions or improvements of existing practices, injustices, or challenges to just sustainable cities in postsocialist Eurasia;
Assessment
Grading system: Pass with distinction (VG), Pass (G), Fail (U).
The course is assessed by active participation in seminars, oral and written assignments.
If there are special reasons for doing so, an examiner may make an exception from the method of assessment indicated and allow a student to be assessed by another method. An example of special reasons might be a certificate regarding special pedagogical support from the university´s disability coordinator, or a decision by the department's working group for study matters.
Lecturers
Uppsala University
Vladislava Vladimirova, Institute for Russian and Eurasian Studies/Dept. Cultural Anthropology and Ethnology,
University of Tartu
Age Poom, Mobility Lab, Department of Geography, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences,
Comenius University
Mišík Matúš, Department of Political Science,
Course dates
On-site: 16th – 27th February 2026, in Uppsala, Sweden
Online: 26th January – 31st May 2026
How to apply?
Students from all ENLIGHT partner universities are eligible to participate. Students will be selected at each of these universities separately. Students interested in the course need to apply via their home university. They should contact their faculty or programme to verify whether it can fit in their curriculum and to ensure academic recognition of the credits obtained. The home university will select the permitted number of students, inform the students as soon as possible, and then send these names to the host institution. Unsuccessful students will be placed on a waiting list and may get a place, if other universities do not use all their allocated places.
Please select your home university below and contact your ENLIGHT coordinator for further information on the application process or consult the linked information.
- University of the Basque Country:
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - University of Bern: Application instructions for students at the University of Bern
- University of Bordeaux:
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - Comenius University Bratislava:
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - University of Galway:
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - Ghent University:
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (see information about BIP's) - University of Groningen:
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - University of Göttingen:
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (for BIP’s) orThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (other courses) - University of Tartu: Application instructions for students at the University of Tartu
- Uppsala University: Application instructions for students at Uppsala University.