City as Text

This 10-day educational field trip to St. Petersburg is designed to develop students' core competencies, particularly in viewing objects from various disciplinary perspectives and synthesizing them. The focal object of this course is the city of St. Petersburg itself, a unique urban tapestry woven from different disciplinary fronts.

Throughout the duration of the course, students engage in a series of activities aimed at deepening their understanding of the city's complex nature:

- They explore St. Petersburg's diverse "layers" — including its architecture, art, economics, literature, cinema, and design — through lectures delivered by local experts;

- They undertake field research to apply theoretical concepts to the empirical reality of St. Petersburg, fostering a hands-on learning experience;

- They develop hypotheses on how the urban environment shapes the subjectivity of its residents and tackle the question, "What makes life meaningful in St. Petersburg?";

- They partake in plenary discussions to share and critique the findings and insights derived from their explorations and research.

This immersive learning experience is structured to cultivate students' ability to address complex, open-ended problems and to collaborate effectively within a team, even under strict time constraints. The course not only prepares students for further academic pursuits at SAS but also equips them with essential skills and competencies valuable in any professional setting.