Approaches to the Modern City

3 Credits · Level: Graduate

The course examines the history of the city comparatively and thematically. Each student researches the history of one city for the entire semester. Class time will be used to discuss common readings and to present research findings. In order to overcome the Eurocentrism of much of the urban studies scholarship in English, roughly half of the material for the class will be related to Asia. One of the goals of the course will be to rewrite the history of modern cities from the ground and from new sites and perspectives. Tools and methods for oral history and ethnographic fieldwork are introduced. This seminar is cross-listed with the History department and meets on the main Georgetown campus.