urban political economy

Quirky and a little disheveled, but clearly passionate about the work he does, Prof Siener approaches urban studies from a geographical perspective.

Here's the overall view of the class:

Theory: reading foundational texts that let us examine cities from different perspectives
History: urbanization of the United States, specifically New York, in the 21st century [suburbanization, redlining, fiscal crisis, etc] understanding history as a process of change that has shaped the city into what it is today; Neo-liberal
Case Studies: homelessness and displacement, environmental justice; housing

Goals:
- Identify and explain some of the primary political, economical, and social shifts that have taken place in New York City in the past 50 years
- Spatial analyses
- Describe the main structural aspects of 20th century urbanization

Workload:

11 quizzes [5 question multiple choice based on lecture material and readings (will drop the lowest quiz grade)]

Field Observation Essay [peer edit draft in class; 1000 words; 4 or 5 pages; observe a NYC neighborhood and put your observations in conversation with at least one of the authors we read; support or counter their argument; not an argumentative essay; can use ‘I’ ‘we’

Midterm [in class; multiple choice; short answer]

Take-Home Final Exam [two essay prompts]