3.0

credits

Average Course Rating

What is the relationship between space and society? In this course, we will challenge the idea that space is a mere container of human interactions and activities. We will learn how top-down decisions about space (e.g., the dismantling of public housing, land dispossession, the formation of refugee camps) contribute to social hierarchies along class, gender, race, and caste lines. We will then consider how bottom-up movements use space to resist oppression and promote social change. We will draw on theoretical and empirical work from the social sciences and urban studies, and explore cases from several regions of the world, spanning the last few decades. Students in the course will also practice broader essential skills in the social sciences, including summarizing academic arguments, connecting empirical observations to theoretical debates, and making clear and concise arguments.