Human Rights in and the Right to the City 

 As one of the few globally acknowledged frameworks by the International Community, the Human Rights are universal, legally binding, and established to put the collective empowerment of the people and their individual well-being at the centre of (inter)national political and economic decision-making. Safeguarding the Human Rights becomes ever more critical in times of rapid global changes, marked by significant geo-political threats, emergencies, and anti-democratic trends.

Against these considerations, this course investigates the role and position of our urban environments between the „Human Rights Based Approach“ and our individual and collective „Right to the City.“ Through investigating key considerations around the safeguarding of Human Rights in urban cohabitation and public space amid economic, political, and infrastructural spheres, the seminar explores both theoretical and applied concepts across various scales, ranging from metropolitan systems to grassroot initiatives.

The course will consist of a theoretical (input lectures, research & reading assignments) as well as an applied (excursions, individual student presentations) component.  The seminar will take place bi-weekly on Tuesday afternoons between 14:00-15:30. 

The successfull completion of the course requires a class participation of over 75%, an individually researched presentation, and a final discussion (reflecting on the seminar contents, collective and individual explorations, and readings).