Introduction to Global Urban Studies

Catalog description

Cities are dynamic places, centers for innovation, economic growth, and cultural creativity, and sites of inequality, injustice, and environmental degradation. They are places where people make homes, work, and mobilize politically. They are sites where governments, private actors, and civil society shape the built and socio-economic environment. The course critically examines cities and regions across the globe and in varying time periods. It introduces students to the promise, beauty, and challenges facing cities, including poverty and inequality, access to housing and infrastructure, and climate change. The course offers students an introduction to urban studies and entry points to urban focused work in other disciplines. It combines lectures, discussion, and active learning modes.