| PA 400: Issues & Perspectives on the City (3) | |
| Why?: | The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the underlying structure and character of the city as an institution of everyday life and to expose students to issues facing contemporary cities and perspectives offered by different disciplines in dealing with these problems. Upon completion of the course, it is expected that students will: gain an increased understanding of the functions, origins, growth, and decline of cities; have a greater appreciation of how cities influence their everyday lives and how individuals influence the city; understand the interdisciplinary basis of urban studies and how various disciplines approach urban problems; and have an increased awareness of the opportunities created and afforded by the contemporary city. |
| Content: | An interdisciplinary introduction to issues facing the city. Includes discussion of trends in urbanization; market forces and the development of cities; the social and cultural context of the city; governing the city; financing local government; urban design, plannin, and public infrastructure; urban service delivery; and urban problems such as poverty, unemployment, crime, and pollution. |
| Format: | Lecture, discussion, presentations, critical thinking exercises |
| Evaluation: | Two in-class examinations, four "issue essays"concerning common problems facing contemporary cities, a "perspectives essay" integrating how different disciplines propose dealing with these problems |
| Prerequisite: | None |
| Recommended for: | Students interested in the underlying structure and character of the city as an institution of everyday life and the issues facing contemporary cities and perspectives offered by different disciplines in dealing with these problems. |