City: growth, ideologies, power and violence – seminar

Abstract

This paper introduces the concept, content, and teaching methods of a new seminar on the modern history and theory of urbanism at the Faculty of Architecture, Brno University of Technology. The seminar, titled City: Growth, Ideologies, Power and Violence, aims to familiarise students with theoretical perspectives on cities and urban planning, including their relationships with technology, economy, politics, and culture. Divided into three blocks—Growth, Ideologies, and Power and Violence—the course combines lectures, interdisciplinary discussions, and student-led reinterpretations of theoretical texts from fields such as sociology, geography, philosophy, and urban anthropology. Beyond conveying knowledge, the seminar adopts participatory teaching methods designed to foster students’ critical thinking and engagement, encouraging them to develop their own interpretations rather than relying on ready-made arguments.