Key Questions
- How did the urban emerge as a form of settlement? Why is it important for us to trace this process? If the city is a concept, how do we define it?
- How has urbanization transformed across geographies and histories? What role does culture play in shaping urbanism? How do the politics, economies and languages of different worlds shape the city?
- How are cities still deeply divided spaces? What are the coded logics that shape red-lining and can we imagine a city free from such trappings?
- How can anthropology help us answer each of these questions? What models, practices or imaginations does anthropology enliven which can shape the way we plan the city?
Course Requirements
Short Quiz: 20% There will be two brief quizzes conducted around at the end of February and March. These quizzes will be short writing exercises in class that are reflective and critical engagements with previous class discussions and readings.
In-Class Presentations: 20% Students will be asked to select one week/topic at the beginning of the semester. For that week, students will be asked to conduct a brief presentation based on archival exercise, no more than a few minutes long. The aim of the presentation is for one or two students to find articles/news pieces – essentially historical data – which helps contextualize our readings, flesh out themes and draw connections between different time periods and our present.
Paper Proposal: 10% At mid semester you will turn in a proposal for your final paper. The proposal should include a short research question and a brief bibliography. I expect students to meet with me at least once during the semester to discuss your thoughts on your final paper; the proposal can be the basis for this conversation, though of course we can meet sooner if you need help formulating a paper topic. I will be available by appointment.
Final Paper: 35% This paper should provide a discussion engaging with urban ethnographic writing which has been attentive to the social practices of producing space, built form, infrastructures and urban experience. You may conduct your own research or analyze how different scholars have approached a phenomenon. E.g. Migration in the City could be a paper exploring how migrants moving to urban spaces are received, how their experiences and identities are shaped, or how the city itself transforms due to the process of human migration. This will be s
Participation: 15% This class is a collective effort. Your participation will be measured by the quality (not quantity) of your contributions to the conversation, and by how well you contribute to fostering an atmosphere of open and constructive debate and discussion. A willingness to grapple with ideas in an open, generous, and collaborative spirit is more highly valued than a virtuosic performance of mastery. Ask questions. Be kind.
Guidelines for Engagement
Any class is driven by the spirit of open and collective inquiry. Although the topics and outcomes will be shaped by lecture portions, students must be wiling to inquire and challenge material in order to explore the edges of the material. Interruptions are encouraged. The classroom is a safe space for questioning and experimental thought but that notions is predicated on mutual respect and a willingness to work at communication that can bridge our respective positions. If, at any point, you are concerned about class dynamics – please, approach me. I will make every effort to address your concerns.
Appointments
I will be free for office hours on Mondays from 4 to 5 PM. Please make an appointment at least once over the course of the semester.
Readings
All readings will be available on blackboard. Please reach out to me if you have any accommodations. The readings that do not have page numbers will be extracts of one or two chapters, at most. Although books are not assigned in their entirety, it is recommended that students select one or two books at the beginning of the semester to begin reading closely, keeping their projects in mind!
