The City: An Introduction to Urban Studies

With over half the world’s population now living in cities, understanding the past and present of urbanization is critical to the planet’s collective future. This course introduces students to cities and urban life around the globe. Drawing upon multiple disciplines, it explores questions like: How do histories of urban planning shape present patterns of inequality? How does rampant urban growth impact ecology and health? How do new identities and solidarities arise in cities, and what effects does citizen activism have on urban politics? What urgent challenges face cities today, and how might these be creatively overcome by communities, planners, and governments?