The Latin American paradigm of urban studies (Prof. Javier Ruiz-Tagle)

In the second lecture in the joint course “Global Challenges to Development”, Prof. Javier Ruiz-Tagle spoke about “The Latin American paradigm of urban studies, the question of (under)development, and the production of knowledge about the Global South: challenges of internal and external decolonization”. He focused on the differences between Global North and Global South from the perspective of urban studies. Javier Ruiz-Tagle is Associate Professor in Institute of Urban and Territorial Studies (IEUT) at the Pontífica Universidad Católica, Chile. He is also Associate Researcher at the Center for Sustainable Urban Development (CEDEUS), Adjunt Researcher at the Center for Social Conflict and Cohesion Studies (COES), PI Fondecyt Project N. 1201488 "Marginality in Emblematic Poblaciones", and Director of Certificate Degree on Housing UC.
The joint course “Global Challenges to Development” discusses theoretical concepts and approaches to development in order to understand current global challenges brought about by globalization processes in different parts of the world. Presenting different (and sometimes antagonist) views on development, the course offers students an overview of the debate, debating the different challenges faced by “developed” and “developing countries”, and the existing alternatives to development in theory and practice. The course alternates theoretical debates based on guest lecturers’ presentations and students’ projects related to sustainability, education, creative industries, geopolitical instabilities, and health.
This course is attended by more than 20 students from seven different countries: Belgium, Brazil, France, Germany, Mexico, Turkey, and Spain. It is organized by Glaucia Peres da Silva, Global Awareness Education/TRACS, University of Tübingen (Germany) in partnership with Prof. Maurício Reinert do Nascimento and Pro. Sara Picheth, State University of Maringá (Brazil) and Prof. Ronney Ncwadi, Nelson Mandela University (South Africa), and also offered in the CIVIS micro-programme Global Awareness.
Video editing: christoph Regli