Course detail

Future Challenges for CEE Cities in the Sociological, Economic and Technological Context

FA-FCC-ZEAcad. year: 2025/2026

This module aims at analysing and assessing the current and coming challenges for CEE cities, both positively and negatively evaluated. Among the most important issues planned to be discussed during the class, the aging society, deindustrialization, the creative economy growth, shrinkage of cities, expansion of sustainable and circular urban systems and development of sharing economy systems could be found. Several key answers related to these challenges will be discussed, such as digitalization of urban life, slow city approach, rapid development of shared mobility, innovative types of energy systems, urban gardens and agriculture. The participants will analyze the proposed issues using different state-of-the-art methods, indexes and tools. By the end of the module, they will be able to (1) identify the most important problems of urban systems at different levels; (2) assess the different initiatives and plans focused on sustainable urban development; (3) develop strategies and solutions to overcome the socio-spatial problems of urban systems; and (4) improve local sustainability in terms of urban design, spatial planning, policy and quality of urban life.

Language of instruction

English

Number of ECTS credits

5

Mode of study

Not applicable.

Guarantor

Dr. Dawid Krysiński

Department

Institute of Sociology ( )

Aims

  • Students are able to identify the most important problems of urban systems at different levels.
  • Students are able to assess the different initiatives and plans focused on sustainable urban development. 
  • Students learn to develop strategies and solutions to overcome the socio-spatial problems of urban systems.
  • Students learn different approaches to improve local sustainability in terms of urban design, spatial planning, policy and quality of urban life.
  • Students are ready to adapt to constantly changing social conditions and local (urban) development processes. They are ready to inspire and initiate change benefitting the social environment and the public interest.

Rules for evaluation and completion of the course

  • Individual semester paper (50%, at the end of the course)
  • Individual oral presentation (25% , right after the presentation)
  • Class participation (25%, at the end of the course)

Study aids

Not applicable.

Prerequisites and corequisites

Not applicable.

Basic literature

Bayat, A., & Kawalek, P. (2021). Digitization and urban governance: The city as a reflection of its data infrastructure. International Review of Administrative Sciences, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/00208523211033205 (EN)
Bontje M. 2004. Facing the challenge of shrinking cities in East Germany: the case of Leipzig, Geojournal, vol 61, 13-21 (EN)
Guyader, H.; Friman, M.; Olsson, L.E. Shared Mobility: Evolving Practices for Sustainability. Sustainability 2021, 13, 12148. https://doi.org/10.3390/su132112148 (EN)
Holmgren D. 2009. Future Scenarios: How Communities can adapt to Peak Oil and Climate Change. Chelsea Green : Vermont (EN)
Chi, X., & Han, H. (2021). Performance of tourism products in a slow city and formation of affection and loyalty: Yaxi Cittáslow visitors’ perceptions. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 29(10), 1586-1612. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669582.2020.1860996 (EN)
Ilias, N. H., Mohd Hussain, N. H., Mansor, A., & Omar, S. S. (2018). Improving community quality of life through Recycle Edible Garden. Environment-Behaviour Proceedings Journal, 3(7), 77-85. https://doi.org/10.21834/e-bpj.v3i7.1239 (EN)
Kębłowski, Wojciech, Deborah Lambert & David Bassens (2020) Circular economy and the city: an urban political economy agenda, Culture and Organization, 26:2, 142-158, DOI: 10.1080/14759551.2020.1718148 (EN)
M. Angelidou, C. Politis, A. Panori, T. Bakratsas, K. Fellnhofer, Emerging smart city, transport and energy trends in urban settings: Results of a pan-European foresight exercise with 120 experts, Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Volume 183, 2022, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2022.121915 (EN)
Machado, C.A.S.; De Salles Hue, N.P.M.; Berssaneti, F.T.; Quintanilha, J.A. An Overview of Shared Mobility. Sustainability 2018, 10, 4342. https://doi.org/10.3390/su10124342 (EN)
Mayer, H., Knox, P.L. (2009). Pace of Life and Quality of Life: The Slow City Charter. In: Sirgy, M.J., Phillips, R., Rahtz, D.R. (eds) Community Quality-of-Life Indicators: Best Cases III. Community Quality-of Life Indicators, vol 1. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-2257-8_2 (EN)
Modrzyński, P.; Karaszewski, R. Urban Energy Management—A Systematic Literature Review. Energies 2022, 15, 7848. https://doi.org/10.3390/ en1521784 (EN)
Ohshita, Johnson (2017), Resilient urban energy: making city systems energy efficient, low carbon, and resilient in a changing climate, ECEEE 2017 Summer Study – Consumption, Efficiency & Limits (EN)
Orsini, Francesco & D'Ostuni, Michele. (2022). The Important Roles of Urban Agriculture. Frontiers for Young Minds. 10.3389/frym.2022.701688. (EN)
Pancewicz, Ł., Retooling for degrowth of cities in CEE countries, challenge and potential directions for planning the cities. Available on-line: https://co-munity.net/file/14169/download?token=kZT3dFgf (EN)
Paoli, F.; Pirlone, F.; Spadaro, I. Indicators for the Circular City: A Review and a Proposal. Sustainability 2022, 14, 11848. https://doi.org/10.3390/ su14191184 (EN)
Rink D., Haase A., Bernt M, Großmann K. 2010. Addressing Urban Shrinkage Across Europe – Challenges and Prospects, Shrink Smart Research Brief No. 1, November 2010, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research –UFZ, Leipzig, Source: https://shrinksmart.ufz.de/data/D9%20Research %20Brief%20214223.pdf (EN)
Sadowy, K., Lisiecki, A. Post-industrial, post-socialist or new productive city? Case study of the spatial and functional change of the chosen Warsaw industrial sites after 1989. City Territ Archit 6, 4 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40410-019-0103-2 (EN)
Stewart, R., Korth, M., Langer, L. et al. What are the impacts of urban agriculture programs on food security in low and middle-income countries?. Environ Evid 2, 7 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1186/2047-2382-2-7 (EN)
Sundsgaard, Laura (2021) The Impact of Digitalization on Urban Governance Sustainability Transformations. A case study focusing on digital policy instruments used in the Copenhagen 2025 - Climate Plan. (EN)
Židak, Nenad & Bedenik, Nidzara. (2019). Urban gardening: an integrative approach. The holistic approach to environment. 9. 27-34. 10.33765/thate.9.2.2. (EN)

Recommended reading

Not applicable.

Classification of course in study plans

  • Programme NE_INUS Master's 2 year of study, winter semester, compulsory-optional

Type of course unit

 

Lecture

30 hod., optionally

Teacher / Lecturer

Dr. Dawid Krysiński

Syllabus

  1. Future of CEE cities in the context of global economic and environmental challenges - introduction
  2. Deindustrialization, urban shrinkage and “creative turn” in CEE context
  3. Digitalization of urban life and urban management – trends and challenges
  4. New forms of shared and digitalized urban mobility and its socio-environmental implications
  5. Degrowth & slow city approach – utopia or distopia?
  6. Urban renewable energy systems – overview of barriers & opportunities
  7. Urban gardens and urban agriculture – how could they contribute to local economy and social empowerment?
  8. Circular economy at the local level and its socio-political implications

Seminar

30 hod., compulsory

Teacher / Lecturer

Dr. Dawid Krysiński

Syllabus

  1. Future of CEE cities in the context of global economic and environmental challenges - introduction
  2. Deindustrialization, urban shrinkage and “creative turn” in CEE context
  3. Digitalization of urban life and urban management – trends and challenges
  4. New forms of shared and digitalized urban mobility and its socio-environmental implications
  5. Degrowth & slow city approach – utopia or distopia?
  6. Urban renewable energy systems – overview of barriers & opportunities
  7. Urban gardens and urban agriculture – how could they contribute to local economy and social empowerment?
  8. Circular economy at the local level and its socio-political implications