GUS60 World Urban Patterns (Spring 2005)

Tuesday and Thursday

1:102:30 in GH L24

 

Instructor: Sanjoy Chakravorty

Office: 335 Gladfelter Hall

Phone: 215-204-7664

E-mail: sanjoy@temple.edu

Office hours: Tues. & Thurs. 11:00 to 12:30 PM, or by appointment (Please call or e-mail to set up appointments.)

 

Teaching Assistant: Abby Weinberg

Email: abigailw@temple.edu

Office hours: Weds. & Thurs. 2:30-4:30 PM, and by appointment

 

This course is set up on Blackboard.  First time Blackboard users go to

http://www.temple.edu/cs/helpdesk/documentation/bb.htm

 

In Blackboard, the useful material in the course is under Course Documents, which are:

  1. Class Handout (this handout)
  2. Notes for Part 1
  3. Notes for Part 2
  4. Notes for Part 3
  5. List of terms for all exams
  6. List of countries/cities for all map quizzes
  7. Practice Map

 

This handout is also available at http://astro.temple.edu/~sanjoy/GUS60handout.htm

 

Introduction to the Course (READ THIS!)

Why do cities exist? Why are some cities so much larger than others? Why are some so much poorer than others?  Why do people move to cities?  What is the role of trade, of technological change, of power and culture in the formation and growth of cities?  Why is the American city almost unique among cities of the world?  How are peoples lives affected by the existence of cities?  I approach these questions from the premise that cities are the crucibles of civilization and the foundations of technological, cultural, and economic change.  Geographers have looked at these questions for a long time, as have urbanists, who are mostly economists and sociologists.  My approach is that of an economic geographer.  I will show how both economics and geography are important in determining who lives where and under what conditions.  When we look at the international dimension of urbanization we see a bewildering variety of cities and living conditions, but we can also recognize that the forces at work are very similar everywhere.

 

This course offers an overview of the forces that shape the process, location and history of city growth and decline.  The story of urbanization in both the developed and the developing world will be studied; their many similarities and considerable differences will be highlighted.  The focus will be on the large city, or the Mega City, as an agent and cradle of socio-economic change—internally and within national and regional urban systems. Students of Geography and Urban Studies, Economics, Anthropology, History, Sociology, Social Work and International Studies will find valuable insights here.

 

 

 

Grades will be assigned on 400 total points with the following breakdown:

 

Three exams, each worth 100 points (totaling 300 points), on the following dates:

Exam 1: February 22, Tuesday

Exam 2: March 31, Thursday

Exam 3: May 10, Tuesday, 11:001:00pm (This is the time and date of the scheduled final.)

 

The exams will all be a mix of multiple choice questions, brief answers, and definitions.  One class period will be devoted to each exam and the map quiz.

 

Four Map Quizzes worth 25 points each (totaling 100 points), on the following dates.

MQ 1: February 8

MQ 2: March 17

MQ 3: April 19

MQ 4: May 10 (This is also the date of the last exam.)

 

The four map quizzes will cover the following material:

MQ 1: Countries of the world

MQ 2: Cities in the Americas (north, central, and south)

MQ 3: Cities in Europe and Africa

MQ 4: Cities in Asia and Australia

 

You will be asked to locate 25 countries in MQ 1 and 16 cities in each of the remaining MQs.  A practice map and a list of countries and cities that you have to know are available at http://astro.temple.edu/~sanjoy/GUS60mqlist.doc, (and on Blackboard.)

 

 

Final letter grades will correspond to the following scores:

A: 350 and above               A-: 330-349           

B+: 315-329                      B: 300-314              B-: 285-299

C+: 270-284                      C: 255-269              C-: 240-254           

D: 210-239                       F: Less than 210

 

 

Attendance is compulsory.  We will have 28 class days.  You are allowed two unexcused and two excused absences.  For every absence beyond these you will lose 10 points. 

 

Required Text

Michael Pacione, 2001, Urban Geography: A Global Perspective, Routledge: New York.

 

You are strongly encouraged to buy an atlas.  It will be needed for the map quizzes.  Plus it is a very useful resource to have handy.

 

Schedule of Classes, Readings, and Examinations:

The lectures will be generally divided into three groups. The first part of the semester will be devoted to learning about the important concepts and theories, and global urbanization trends, followed by an exam on the same. The second part of the semester will focus on urban issues in developed nations, followed by an exam on the subject.  The third part will focus on urban issues in less developed or third world nations, followed by the last exam.  The exams will be non-cumulative.

 

The class notes for each of the three units of the class (corresponding to the three exams) are on Blackboard and available in three parts at:

http://astro.temple.edu/~sanjoy/GUS60notes1.pdf

http://astro.temple.edu/~sanjoy/GUS60notes2.pdf

http://astro.temple.edu/~sanjoy/GUS60notes3.pdf

 

A list of terms to prepare for exams is on Blackboard (also divided by unit) and available at

http://astro.temple.edu/~sanjoy/GUS60terms.doc

 

UNIT 1- Basics of world urbanization

Chapter 2. Concepts and theory

Chapter 3. Origins and growth of cities

Chapter 4. Global context of urbanization

Chapter 5. Regional perspectives

Chapter 6. National urban systems

Feb. 22 (Tuesday): Exam 1


UNIT 2- Urbanization in developed nations

Chapter 14. The economy of cities

Chapter 7.   Land use in the city

Chapter 10. Residential mobility and neighborhood change

Chapter 18. Residential differentiation

Chapter 15. Poverty and deprivation

Chapter 17. Collective consumption and social justice

Chapter 20. Power, politics, and urban governance

March 31 (Thursday): Exam 2

 

UNIT 3- Urbanization in developing nations

Chapter 21. Third world urbanization within a global urban system

Chapter 22. Internal structure

Chapter 23. Rural-urban migration

Chapter 24. Urban economy and employment

Chapter 26. Environment

Chapter 27. Health

Chapter 29. Poverty, power, and politics

May 10 (Tuesday): Exam 3

 

 

University Policies:

Withdrawal from Classes: No student may withdraw from a course after the ninth week of classes.  A student may not withdraw from the same course more than once.  A student may withdraw from no more than five courses (taken after Sept. 1, 2003) during an undergraduate career.  Students are encouraged to discuss this option in advance with their instructor.  To withdraw, students must obtain an adviser's signature.  Students who are planning to withdraw MUST do so by March 28; students should monitor Owlnet to be certain that the "W" appears or they will receive an "F" and will still have to pay for the course—there will be no "NRs."

Incomplete Course Work: Students must have a written agreement with me describing the nature of the work to be completed and the completion deadline. I will report a default grade that will be entered if the student's work is not completed or if I do not change the "I" grade within one year.  If a student does not discuss the “incomplete” option with me and sign a contract then he or she will get the grade that goes with the points acquired at the end of the semester.

Disability Statement: Learning disabled students will be given the time and resources necessary to complete all assignments.  Such students must notify me well before the first test with proof of your condition in the form of a letter/notice from Temple University.