INI 435 – Independent Research in Urban Studies: Cities, Knowledge and Information

Impact of new technologies on the role and shape of cities, with emphasis on the concentration of high technology, knowledge-base and creative-content industries. The course will be divided in three modules: 1) historical perspective on cities and creativity; 2) new information technologies and the geography of innovation; 3) the “creative class” and “creative cities” debate.

The final grade will be based on progress reports and oral evaluation in scheduled meetings, along with a final synthesis report. Each progress report will be approximately 5 pages (single space). The oral evaluations will last between 20 and 30 minutes. The final report will be approximately 25 pages (single space).

Dates to be determined with student:
Written and oral reports on module 1 (15%)
Written on oral reports on module 2 (15%)
Written and oral reports on module 3 (15%)

December 3rd: Final report (65%)

• Book
Hall, P. (1999) Cities in Civilization. Culture, Innovation, and Urban Order. London: Pheonix Giant. (Chapters 1, 8, 10, 12, 29 & 30).

• Articles
Hall, P. (2000) “Creative Cities and Economic Development.” Urban Studies 37 (4): 639-649.

Krzyzanowski, W. (1927) “Review of the Literature of the Location of Industries.” Journal of Political Economy 35 (2): 278-291.

Polese, M. (2005) “Cities and National Economic Growth: A Reappraisal.” Urban Studies 42 (8): 1429-1451.

Simmie, J. (2005) “Innovation and Space: A Critical Review of the Literature.” Regional Studies 39 (6): 789-804.

• Books
Edward J. Malecki and Bruno Moriset, The Digital Economy: Business Organization, Production Processes and Regional Developments, London: Routledge, 2007.

Cairncross, F. (1997) The Death of Distance: How the Communications Revolution Will Change Our Lives. London: Orion Publishing. (Introduction – Chapter 2).

• Articles
Brown, J. S. & Duguid, P. (2002) “Local Knowledge: Innovation in the Networked Age.” Management Learning 33 (4): 427-437.

O’Riain, S. (2006) “Time-space Intensification: Karl Polanyi, the double movement, and global informational capitalism.” Theory & Society 35 (5-6): 507-528.

Boschma, R. (2005) “Proximity and Innovation: A Critical Assessment.” Regional Studies 39 (1): 61-74.

Breschi, S. and Lissoni, F. (2001) “Knowledge Spillovers and Local Innovation Systems: A Critical Survey.” Industrial and Corporate Change 10 (4): 975-1005.

Gertler, M. (2003) “Tacit Knowledge and the Economic Geography of Context, or The Undefinable Tacitness of Being (There).” Journal of Economic Geography 3 (1): 75-99.

Moulaert, F and Sekia, F. (2003) “Territorial Innovation Models: A Critical Survey.” Regional Studies 37 (3): 289-302.

• Book
Florida, R. (2002). The Rise of the Creative Class: And How It’s Transforming Work, Leisure, Community and Everyday Life. New York, NY: Basic Books.

• Articles
Shearmur, R. (2007) “The New Knowledge Aristocracy: A Few Thoughts on the Creative Class, Mobility, and Urban Growth.” Work, Organization, and Labour 1 (1): 31-47.

Peck, J. (2005) “Struggling with the Creative Class.” International Journal of Urban and Regional Research 29 (4): 740-770.

Scott, A. J. (2006) “Creative Cities: Conceptual Issues and Policy Questions.” Journal of Urban Affairs 28 (1): 1 – 17.