Barcelona‘s Reinvention: A Course Examining the โ”Barcelona Model” of Urban Development
Barcelona, Spain,โ is undergoing a dramatic change, mirroring a global shift in โฃeconomic power from โฃnation-states to individual cities. Just as 19th-century industrialization shaped cities, the rise of the โฃpost-industrial economyโ and globalization are nowโ redefiningโฃ urban landscapes – and Barcelona is a key case study.
A new course, โ”Brand Barcelona: Marketing the Global City” (also cross-listed as MKT338), will delve into the success of Barcelona’s urban redevelopment,โ often referred to asโ the “Barcelona Model.” โThe course will analyze how marketing strategies have evolved to not just sell products, but to actively sell the city itself – a process known as commodification.
Theโ curriculum will critically assess whoโ benefits from this branding and reinvention, โขand who may be disadvantaged โby it. Beyond theoretical foundations, students โฃwill engage with current debates surrounding Barcelona’s regeneration. A significant component of the course involves field studies and film analysis,designed to reveal the frequently enough-hidden realities beneath the city’s polished,tourist-friendly image.
Students will be tasked with project โwork aimed at uncovering and analyzing aspects of Barcelona’s transformation, focusing on how its global promotion is reshaping the city and itsโข identity. The course promises a deep dive into the complexities of urban development in a โขglobalized world,using Barcelona โas a โcompelling example.