Disurbanism

The seminar examines critical readings and projects associated with what is loosely called "Disurbanism," borrowing from the original visions of the Soviet avant-garde, in order to explore both the utopian and dystopian aspects of these writings and works. The course analyzes how the prospects of an attenuated and diffuse urbanism have shifted from a utopian critique of both the bourgeois and early capitalist industrial cities to the requirements for a redefinition of City itself as it has evolved into a vast metropolitan network enabled by the automobile and electronic media. Disurbanism’s dystopian incarnation, the disappearance of the City, and the subsequent account of the loss of cultural values and the critical discourse surrounding a denatured aesthetics of the sublime are also explored. Students are expected to present material and participate in discussions of the readings as well as submit a final paper. Limited enrollment.