Course Catalogue

Liverpool Screen School

The aim of the module is for students to gain a detailed understanding and critical engagement with: • the different ways in which cities are re-imagined and re-imaged, by whom and to what ends. • good practice in how cultural policy and projects have contributed to re-imagining and regenerating cities and the consequent policy issues, choices and dilemmas. • the breadth of global formal and informal representations of cities from the perspective of various actors.

Outline Syllabus:1. Re-imagining and re-imaging: exploring meanings, manifestations, agents. 2. Exploring different ways in cultural policy has contributed to re-imagining cities and urban regeneration using case study examples from European cities: • ‘Flagship’ cultural attractions, districts • Promoting creative industries • Festivals and events • Public art/animation • Conservation and heritage • Leadership & governance 3. City and Place Marketing and Branding: • Growing acceptance of global brand culture • Theoretical development • Global case studies • Citizen participation • Cities seen as a service system • Consumption sites in cities

Module Overview:
This module discusses how urban images and identities are constructed/reconstructed, by whom and for what purpose. You will explore in-depth concepts such as city marketing, place identity, place brand and branding. You will also investigate city service systems and the increasing importance of digital place to cities. Case studies from a wide range of cities are used to identify the multiple expressions of urban imagining and imaging globally.

Additional Information:In their growing attempts to improve urban competitiveness and attractiveness city actors have increasingly resorted to a variety of re-imagining and re-imaging strategies and techniques. This module begins by discussing how urban images and identities are constructed/reconstructed, by whom and for what purpose? It distinguishes re-imagining cities in physical, marketing and social, economic and political terms. It has two substantive components. The first part critically examines how cultural policy fits within broader strategies for re-imagining cities, the effectiveness of different approaches and related issues such as whether artistic integrity and authenticity and maintaining local distinctiveness are compatible with urban managerialism. In the second part an in-depth analysis will be undertaken into the how various city actors have represented cities both formally and informally in the past, present and potentially in the future. Concepts such as city marketing, place identity, place brand and branding and city service systems will be explored in depth and the increasing importance of digital place to cities investigated. Case studies from a wide range of cities will be used to identify the multiple expressions of urban imagining and imaging globally.