Human Geography: Trends in Political Economy

This course gives you an in-depth introduction to major trends and debates in political economy and economic geography. You study how political-economic ideas have developed over time, and how these perspectives are shaped by their historical and geographical contexts. 

A central part of the course is the overview of heterodox economic theories – approaches that challenge mainstream assumptions – and their application in human geography. You learn how these theories help researchers understand contemporary economic issues, spatial dynamics and conflicts. 

By engaging with a range of theoretical texts, you build a deeper understanding of how political economy is used to analyse economic relations, development processes and power structures across different places and scales. The course supports you in developing both conceptual clarity and a critical perspective on how these ideas are applied in research. 

Course syllabus

The syllabus contains the formal and legal details of the entire course. It’s a legal document outlining the course structure and requirements, intended mainly for administrative use.

Course literature

The course literature listed may be updated up to eight weeks before the course begins.

Teaching consists of lectures and seminars. The lectures introduce key theoretical foundations and guide you through major debates in political economy and economic geography. Seminars complement the lectures and challenge you to actively discuss texts, compare perspectives and relate theoretical approaches to current political and economic issues.  

The course is assessed through written and oral assignments. Active participation is expected, and attendance at seminars is mandatory.

After completing the course, you will be able to critically identify, analyse and evaluate trends in political economy and economic geography. The course strengthens your ability to distinguish between theoretical perspectives, use concepts with precision and connect political-economic ideas to real-world issues. 

These skills are valuable for advanced studies. The analytical training and theoretical depth also support careers where critical understanding of economic structures, spatial dynamics and policy debates is relevant. This includes roles in public agencies, international organisations, NGOs and research environments concerned with economic development, regional change or political-economic analysis. 

Entry requirements

At least 150 ECTS credits, including a Bachelor thesis in Human Geography (or the equivalent). English course 6/B.

Selection criteria

Seats are allocated according to: ECTS (HPAV): 100 %.

Tuition fees for non-EU/EEA citizens

Citizens of countries outside:

• The European Union (EU)
• The European Economic Area (EEA) and
• Switzerland

are required to pay tuition fees. You pay an instalment of the tuition fee in advance of each
semester.

Tuition fees, payments and exemptions

Full programme/course tuition fee: SEK 16,875
First payment: SEK 16,875

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Note that you may also need to pay an application fee, or provide proof of exemption.

Application fee

No tuition fees for citizens of the EU, EEA and Switzerland

There are no tuition fees for citizens of the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland.