Course :

After the Re-unification: Trajectories of Urban Development in Eastern Germany"

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Introduction

After Germany ’s reunification, Eastern Germany has experienced a very complex pattern of territorial development, characterized by marked differences in «local economic performances». Many local systems, accounting for a large part of the territory, have experienced a sharp decline in population and employment; in contrast, other local systems have followed a smooth trajectory of economic development. Practically within each region (Land) marked differences in local systems’ economic performances were to be observed.

Against this background of economic growth and decline, all local systems and regions have experienced, however, a substantial increase in the per capita income and in the level of economic welfare. Yet the key question seems to be whether the structural transformations that Eastern Germany ’s local systems have undertaken in the last two decades has increased or decreased their development potential. A key question to explore seems to be the future development trajectories of Eastern Germany ’s local systems.

After a statistical exploration of the patterns of growth and decline in Eastern Germany ’s local systems and regions, the analysis will focus on cities’development trajectories, on their changing structures and highly different performances.

The course will also present a «conceptual and theoretical framework» for the explanation of cities’ economic performances, drawing on recent advancements in «urban economics» and «local development economics». The European Union’s perspective on urban development will be also discussed as the basis for an evaluation of the state of the Eastern Germany ’s cities.

Info 2008-09

This year the course will focus on the performnces of Eastern Germany's cities after the Re-unification The lecture series will take place in June 2009: see Calendar. If necessary the timetable will be modified according to the students' needs. Students can start to familiarise with the material of the course available in the download area. To have access to the download area a password is required which will be provided on request.

Students who are planning to attend the course are kindly requested to send me an e-mail message: a.g.calafati@univpm.it