UP 470

Credit: 4 hours.

This seminar examines urban shrinkage--a phenomenon typically associated with population loss, but also characterized by obsolescence, disinvestment, and abandonment. While some cities thrive and struggle to house the global urban majority, other cities face the stark reality of shrinkage and decline. What should we do to envision and enact a viable future for our shrinking cities? This course will be taught as a seminar, using readings, student facilitated discussions, and lectures as a means for creating a shared understanding around urban shrinkage. Literature from Planning, Economics, Sociology, and other areas will contribute to discussions of the meaning of urban decline as a set of social, economic, and spatial phenomena. Some seminar sessions will be "lab" sessions, focused on developing your analytical skillset via qualitative and quantitative methods.

4 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Credit is not given for UP 470 if credit for UP 494-AG has been given. Prerequisite: Students must have at least a junior standing.