Economic geography seeks to understand socio-spatial inequalities: why do these arise, how are they changing, and what can be done to reduce disparities and...

Economic geography seeks to understand socio-spatial inequalities: why do these arise, how are they changing, and what can be done to reduce disparities and create more sustainable ways of meeting our needs? This module examines different ways of defining the economy and their implications for measuring, managing and changing it. We will engage with a range of critical theoretical perspectives, some of which suggest broad interpretations of the economy that extends beyond corporations to consider domains such as unpaid household labour and different scales of government, as well as the role of social categories such as gender and race in shaping economies. As you build up a sophisticated conceptual understanding, you will explore competing explanations for geographical differences in economic activities, wealth and development, as well as the relations between places. The exact content may vary, but key themes may include geographies of labour, finance and regional development.

This module will support students to:

Understand different ways of explaining geographical unevenness and conceptualising economies as embedded in space.
	Source and critically analyse diverse literature and data produced and used by economic geographers.
	Apply different theoretical approaches to a range of key issues of interest to economic geographers as well as policymakers, communities and the private sector.
	Communicate summaries of material and independent perspectives through seminar discussions and online activities.
	Evaluate concepts and evidence to produce in-depth analysis in a sustained piece of writing.
Students will develop the following transferable careers skills:

Critical thinking: ability to assess data and ideas.  

Communication: academic writing  

Communication: verbal  

Presentation skills  

Time management: organisation and planning of work  