The Course:

Urbanization is a dynamic process. Looking at a satellite photo of the United States, we can see all the metropolitan and urbanized areas of our country, but we cannot begin to understand the problems unique to each of those places unless we are aware of the historical constraints placed upon city development within certain geographic regions and in specific time periods.

Consequently, one important question will shape this course: What political, economic, social, technological, cultural, geographical and historical forces have shaped the American urban experience? A secondary question, which we will investigate toward the end of the course is this: How can urbanites respond to attain control over the circumstances of urban life? This course will provide insight into the nature of the urban process and will help us deal with in on our own terms.

Texts:

Judd and Swanstrom, City Politics, 4th edition
Cronon, Nature’s Metropolis
Sugrue, Origins of the Urban Crisis

Evaluation:

Your grade in the course will be based upon performance in six areas: 2 midterms (20% each), quizzes (10%), participation (5%), a term paper (20%), and a final, which will be partially comprehensive (25%). Examinations will consist of short answer and essay questions. More on these assignments will follow.

Administration:

Office Hours: M/W 1:30-3:00; T/Th, 11:00-1:00, and by appointment; GA 460B

Makeup Exams: Makeup exams will be given to students who have reasonable excuses for missing the original exam. Students should attempt to contact me prior to the exam if they know they are going to miss it, but in all cases students who miss exams must contact me no later than 24 hours following the scheduled time of the exam. No make-up test will be given to a student who fails to contact me within this 24-hour window. "Makeups" are generally more difficult.

Quizzes: Lowest quiz grade is dropped. Most quizzes are “pop quizzes” and cannot be made up. Scheduled quizzes may be made up according to the policy for “Makeup Exams (above). In all instances, I reserve the right NOT to grant a make-up quiz.

Attendance: Attendance is mandatory and is factored into the participation grade. Missing three or more classes will adversely affect this aspect of your course grade. Illness and personal emergencies that inhibit attendance should be reported, however, so that I may take them into account when evaluating your participation score.

Student directives: Directives will accompany almost all reading assignments. A directive is a question pertaining to the substance in the reading material. A good directive should address significant issues raised in the reading and, as such, it will direct discussion and analysis of the assignment. I do not grade directives, but students do receive credit for turning them in, providing three conditions are met: (1) The student is present in class when the directive is turned in; (2) the directive is submitted at the time it is due, and (3) the directive is typed.

Late Written Work: Written work must be ready by the beginning of class on the day it is due. I will accept late written work only if student has contacted me prior the time it is due. Exceptions to this policy will be granted only in extreme circumstances. I reserve the right not to accept a written assignment that is submitted after the due date.

Incompletes: None will be granted. All work must be completed by the time I assign grades. Any uncompleted assignment will receive a grade of "0." Exceptions to this policy will be granted only in extreme circumstances.

Disabilities: Any student with disabilities which have been certified by the Office of Disabilities Services will be appropriately accommodated. The student should inform me as soon as possible--preferably during the first week of the quarter--regarding his or her needs.

Academic Misconduct: Any suspected instance of cheating, including plagiarism, will be turned over the University Committee on Academic Misconduct. Please check with me if you have any questions regarding the definition of plagiarism or if you need clarification of this issue.

Outline:

I. Urban Political-Economy

    Judd and Swanstrom, Chapters TBA
    Cronon (entire)

Midterm

II. City Politics

    Judd and Swanstrom, Chapters TBA


Midterm

III. Urban Life/Urban Crises

    Judd and Swanstrom, Chapters TBA
    Sugrue (entire)


FINAL