All Things Urban

In this Helsinki Summer School course we explore urbanisation from the point of view of the Nordic ‘welfare city’. We are interested in exploring with you housing provision, transportation, education, the built environment and public spaces, from the standpoints of sustainability and equality. A welfare city, such as Helsinki, built on ideals of equality, the well-being of its citizens, a sustainable balance between the needs of both nature and the people, and responding to social and ecological awareness alike. However one process affecting the welfare city at the moment is gentrification. From hipster bars to rent increases, gentrification is a common and visible process of contemporary metropolitan restructuring, familiar from cities world around. Often its real meaning and what the process really entails remain invisible. Brought on by uneven investments, gentrification sees capital take over and transform homes and neighbourhoods of low income people and is a cause of displacement and urban inequality – a process poorly suiting the ethos of the welfare city. The course uses lectures, workshops and excursions in Helsinki to help understand contemporary problems and issues related to gentrification in the Nordic welfare city.

The course is designed for Master’s degree students interested in urbanisation and with a background in urban studies, social sciences, sociology, geography, cultural studies, architecture, urban planning, environmental studies, politics, and economics. A few places are reserved for students taking the following minor studies: SOSM-501 Kaupunkitutkimus, 15 op.

6 ECTS

The University of Helsinki is the oldest and largest institution of academic education in Finland, an international scientific community of 40,000 students and researchers. In international university rankings, the University of Helsinki typically ranks among the top 100. The University of Helsinki seeks solutions for global challenges and creates new ways of thinking for the best of humanity. Through the power of science, the University has contributed to society, education and welfare since 1640.