Understanding Urban Communities

3 units

This course will introduce students to key issues in the urban context. It will use readings from history, sociology, and political science (as well as the popular media) to provide students with a deeper understanding of the larger social and political processes that shape cities and their communities. While students will learn about the challenges facing urban communities, a key focus of the course will be identifying strengths and assets within urban communities and countering the “deficit” narrative that dominates popular perceptions of these areas. Another key focus will be on identifying promising policies and practices within organizations serving urban communities. For this reason, students will conduct research on possible policy interventions, study a particular intervention in depth, and write about that intervention.