POLI 281 - The Political Economy of Poughkeepsie

Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)

(Same as URBS 281) This course is designed to encourage greater, more robust awareness of the City of Poughkeepsie in a global comparative context. Many of the issues that Poughkeepsie faces are faced by cities around the US (and around the world) - social inequality, segregation and racism, unequal access to good jobs and affordable housing, struggling public schools, and tensions between the city and its much richer suburbs. And, like other cities around the US and around the world, grassroots organizations, activists, and some local officials and imaginative policy makers (including socialjustice and housing advocates, those focused on education, anti-racism, and anti-carceral policies, and cultural groups) are working to address many of these challenges, often in conflict with powerful forces that benefit from the sfafus quo. This course employs the tools and insights of comparative politics and urban political economy to make sense of all of this. ln what ways are the “root causes” of Poughkeepsie’s challenges similar to those of other cities? ln what ways are Poughkeepsie’s challenges atypical or unique? And how might activists and policy makers - at the local, regional and national level- effectively address these challenges? The course invites Poughkeepsie community advocates and officials as guest speakers. Katherine Hite, Timothy Koechlin.

Two 75-minute periods.

Course Format: CLS