This course explores the evolution of cities. We will take an imaginative journey through cities across time, asking why cities developed at all, and considering how the unusual early forms of places like Çatalhöyük and Teotihuacan evolved into the common urban structures we see worldwide today.
We will explore the economic evolution of cities—how they diversify from a handful of sectors into complex, bustling economies. We will consider how cities build on inherited capabilities yet struggle to overcome historic inequalities, especially those rooted in colonial legacies. We will examine how top-down planning interventions can disrupt the self-organising principles which make cities work. We will look at how cities can learn from the past to become more sustainable today, focusing on 'walkable' urban forms and places that work more symbiotically with nature. Finally, we will consider how emerging technologies might reshape the form and function of cities in the future.
Throughout, you will gain insights into how cities evolve and adapt to changing needs, while remaining one of our most successful inventions. We will engage in lectures, discussions and walking tours of Oxford and London. The course is delivered in collaboration with the University’s Sustainable Urban Development Programme.
This course is part of the Oxford University Summer School for Adults (OUSSA) programme.