Shanghai Walks: Tracing the City’s Stories

Catalog description

Inspired by the rising trend of Chinese Citywalks - a social media phenomenon where young urbanites document slow-paced, observational walks through their cities - this course invites students to explore Shanghai on foot. We'll use the city as our classroom, asking how walking can help us better understand its complexity: what does a street-level view reveal about the city's histories, rapid changes, and the role of its residents in its story? Guided by local experts and lecturers, we'll complement our walks by studying theories of urban space and walking, Shanghai's colonial history, and its immigrant groups. As students gain a critical vocabulary for assessing urban issues, they will not only build a deeper understanding of Shanghai but also learn to apply these concepts to their own urban experiences. Students will document their walks through notes, photos, videos, and sound recordings, which will form the basis of a daily social media diary. Alongside an essay based on an interview with a city resident, this assignment is designed to sharpen students' observation and storytelling skills, helping them see how individual stories form the very fabric of the city itself. This course will be offered in January-Term 2026. This course will be taught at NYU Shanghai and will count as an Away J-Term course.