Module overview
GGES3021 is a module designed for students who are interested in the creative economy and how it is being shaped by geographical processes related to globalisation, digitisation and flexibilisation. The module will cover topics that are central to understanding the creative economy and key themes in
geography. For example, lectures and seminars will examine:
- The challenging labour conditions within creative industries such as music and fashion
- The ways in which producers create and communicate value for their goods, services and experiences in the competitive global marketplace
- The changing nature of consumption and growing importance of curators such as bloggers to the creative economy
- How and why these activities are contained within but also shaped by specific physical, temporary and virtual spaces
- The formation and relationship between global, local and trans-local cultural scenes such as Shoreditch in London
- Why cities are trying to attract creative firms and entrepreneurs and how individuals decide where to live and work in an era of unprecedented mobility
- To facilitate deep learning the module will combine conceptual engagements with theory and real world examples drawn from case studies in the UK and other international contexts including Canada and Sweden. Students will also be encouraged to reflect on their own experiences and to explore these topics first hand during independent research for their research papers.
The purpose of this module is to provide students with a critical, theoretical and applied understanding of the processes and spatial dynamics that are shaping the creative economy. It explores a range of interrelated economic, social, political and cultural issues from a geographical perspective.