What explains the socioeconomic and ecological patterns in a city? This course will introduce students to ideas in the history and theory of urban planning; the production of urban environments; and concepts in environmental justice to understand the challenges that face contemporary cities. Using New Haven as a case study, the class will explore the ways in which structural inequalities are inscribed and reproduced in urban landscapes. The course builds up a sequence of historical-geographic layers and conceptual frameworks with the goal of unpacking the legacies of planning and urban development decision-making on contemporary social and environmental conditions.
We are in a moment of crisis and there is a need for engaged public scholarship. We require theory-informed practices to address the real challenges we face in our cities. Therefore, an integral part of this course will be student projects that serve the twin purposes of creating academic scholarship and making this knowledge available for the public and communities. Limited enrollment.