COMPARATIVE URBAN CHALLENGES: GLOBAL SOU

In this course we will explore some of the key challenges facing cities and their residents in both the Global South and Global North. The course adopts a political economy perspective highlighting how the interplay of political and economic power and inequality creates opportunities for, as well as constrain, the exercise of human agency, individual and collective. The course examines the key aspects of urbanization that impacts the welfare of non-elite households and individuals in cities of the Global South, as well as North America (with a focus on the US and New York City). Students will gain a better understanding of the function of cities, the forces causing patterns of urbanization across the planet, the key debates around sprawl versus compactness and the ways these dimensions impact areas such as the quality and standard of living of ordinary households, issues of justice and equity, climate change, and roles of markets and government in managing cities. The course delves into the challenges of the governance of cities, the opportunities, and obstacles to strengthening local democracy and accountability to all social classes, and the challenges of achieving just and equitable outcomes for all city residents. Case studies cover several cities in the Global South, as well as a focus on US cities which include possible assignments and field trips in NYC.