GEOG172

Description

Section information text: We now live on a City Planet: the majority of the world's population are 'urbanite' and their numbers continue to grow. Yet this symbolic tipping point in human settlement comes with significant challenges. Most people within this urban majority live in 'slums', with many of the economic and cultural opportunities associated with cities in western thought being pure fantasy in the face of daily struggles for survival. Furthermore, given cities are the primary emitters of greenhouse gases, all urban dwellers are united, if not equally, in being responsible for climate change and its potential mediation. This course examines the emergence of a City Planet through: an examination of the ways in which geographers have understood cities and their relationships in an era of globalization; the tracing of global urban relations with respect to capital, labor, communications and culture; and the consideration to two of the major challenges currently faced: growing social inequalities and mounting sustainability requirements. A core course in Globalization, Cities and Development in the geography major. Fulfills the Global Comparative (GP) requirement.