The objective of the course is the examination of the complex interrelations between economic change and geographical space in contemporary capitalist societies. These issues are critically discussed through different “Paradigms” and schools of thought expanding from early 20th century classical germanic location theories to contemporary critical economic geographical approaches. It is expected that by the end of the course the students will have developed a comprehensive and critical understanding of the basic theoretical and methodological issues that are currently at the centre of interest of Economic Geography.

The object of Economic Geography: Definitions and questions. Epistemological turns and critical debates in Economic Geography. The structure of economic activity. Industrialization, mass production and coordination institutions. The problem of industrial location. Uneven spatial development. The crisis of mass production and its spatial consequences. Restructuring of capital and capitalism’s urban dynamic. Deducing the region from international capitalist development: economic dependence and geographical inequalities. The accumulation of capital and the production of geographical unevenness. Labour and spatial restructuring. Geographical industrialization and restructuring. The geographies of flexible accumulation and its limits. Entrepreneurial networks and neo-Marshallian districts. Technology and spatial-economic restructuring. The new economic geography of services. Economic globalization through the prism of critical Economic Geography.