GEOG 282 - Democracy and Community Development: from New Orleans to New York

Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)

(Same as URBS 282) How will we live together in this century? Will we pursue the “just city” for all, or will we merely seek cities that are pleasant for some? Centered on post-Katrina New Orleans but also drawing broadly from 20th century urban U.S. history, this course examines planning and politics in the decade-plus since the levees broke in August 2005. Utilizing political and spatial theory as well as real-life scenarios of urban policymaking and governance, we see how the past informs not only the present, but also our many possible futures. Coursework compares and contrasts the everyday practice of urban planning and policymaking with theoretical concepts such as locality and scale, autonomy, property, community, economy, democracy, resilience, and development. Over the semester there are several film screenings, individual written work on theoretical concepts, and final group projects on applied policy proposals. Mr. Futterman.

Prerequisite: one 100-level Geography course, or permission of the instructor.

Two 75-minute periods.