With an official population of 4.8 million, Nairobi is Kenya’s largest city and its economic and political center. Founded in 1898 by the colonial authorities of British East Africa as a railroad depot, Nairobi became the capital of the Republic of Kenya upon independence in 1963.
Today, the city known as the “Silicon Savannah” is a hub of innovation with 500 startups and home to several international organizations, such as the United Nations. At the same time, the majority of the population lives in slums. In this seminar, various aspects of the capital, e.g., social, cultural, economical, spatial layers of the metropolis will be observed, critically analyzed, mapped, and visualized. As a result, an atlas of Nairobi’s contemporary urban landscape will be created.
Instructors:
Prof. Dr. Barbara Engel
Dr. Iman Baratvakili
Joschka Kannen
4 ETCS
