This course is intended to introduce graduate students to a set of core writings in the field of urban sociology. Topics include the changing nature of community, social inequality, political power, socio-spatial change, technological change, and the relationship between the built environment and human behavior. We examine the key theoretical paradigms that have constituted the field since its founding, assess how and why they have changed over time, and discuss the implications of these paradigmatic shifts for urban scholarship, social policy and the planning practice. Our aim is two-fold: 1) To educate students about the nature and changing character of the city and the urban experience — including the larger social, political, and economic dynamics of urban change — so as to provide a more nuanced appreciation of the contemporary, comparative, and historical context in which urban planning skills and sensibilities have been developed and could be applied, and 2) To offer a "sociology of knowledge" approach to the field of urban sociology, so as to prepare more advanced students for pursuing an urban sociology concentration in preparation for doctoral exams.
The seminar will involve intensive discussions of assigned readings. Students will be encouraged to discuss how the theoretical and practical concerns that have preoccupied urban sociologists can be applied to their individual research interests (at both the MA or PhD level). Final grades will be based on five short reaction papers of no more than 4 pages each (50%), in-class participation (10%), and a final research proposal or paper (40%). Department of Urban Studies and Planning (DUSP) PhD students who plan to take the general exam in Urban Sociology may complete their exam proposal in place of the final paper. To meet this requirement student should meet regularly with their exam committee. Students are urged to pay close attention to due dates; late assignments will result in a significant grade penalty.
Students are responsible for submitting short commentaries on five of the fourteen weeks' readings (3-4 double spaced pages). Reaction papers should consist of limited summary focusing instead on an evaluation of the readings (their strengths and limitations, the key issues, etc.). Students may focus on all the readings from each week, comparing and contrasting, or students may meet with the instructors 1-2 weeks in advance and identify 2-3 readings of individual interest. Within their papers students' should identify the main unit of analysis (i.e. individuals, communities, cities, nation, or globe), the key urban problems (i.e. social or spatial isolation, inequality, unemployment, etc.), and the explicit or implicit normative solutions proposed (i.e. planning, policy, or social action). Reaction papers are due at the beginning of the class for that week's readings! On those weeks when students submit short papers, they will be responsible for leading a short discussion based on their commentaries.
Student should be prepared to offer a 5 minute summary of the readings and identify key arguments and questions.
Focusing on a project of individual interest, the final paper can take the form of a research proposal or a paper (15-20 double spaced pages). Students are encouraged to apply the contents of the course to their own work; however, the final paper must be more than a basic literature review. Students must demonstrate how urban sociology is integrated into their own research, propose new research, or report the results of a study that makes a unique research contribution. Ideally, the final paper/proposal should be based on an empirical study of urban/community life. PhD students interested in substituting the general exam proposal in place of a final paper should meet with the DUSP graduate coordinator for length and content guidelines when preparing their proposal.