Current social and economic changes redefine the configuration of contemporary cities and raise new concerns about social integration and socio-spatial inequality. Urban planning plays a crucial role in the creation of spaces and opportunities for social integration. The aim of the course is to give the student some critical and practical instruments to consider the social impact of current social and economical transformations of the city.

The course will be focused on a specific spatial and social phenomena taking place currently in many cities: the spatial and social segregation of population groups due to ethnic and/or socialdynamics.We will address this problem both on a theoretical and practical side, through literature analysis and a specific empirical work carried out in small students’ workgroups.

The course will be organized in two parts. On the one side, we will review the basic concepts elaborated by sociology to understand factors, configuration, meaning and impacts of urban segregation. On the other side, an empirical field work will be carried out by small students’ workgroups about urban segregation in the city of Milan. A specific attention will be paid to the role played by urban and housing policy in favoring/contrasting urban segregation.

Invited speakers, field visits, movies or other materials for discussion will enrich the course. Active participation of students throughout the course will be encouraged and evaluated.

For attending students the evaluation will consist in

• Students’ presentation in class based on a reading included in the course's bibiiography
• Written paper about urban segregation in a specific area to be prepared in groups
• Oral discussion of the written paper and bibliography

For non attending students the evaluation will consist in:

• A written exam on the indicated bibliography (see syllabus).
• An oral discussion based on the written exam

See the syllabus for the detailed list