Emphasis is given to both conceptual and empirical questions.
Particular attention is paid to recent trends in urban development and city planning, as well as to the policy issues, social tensions and political conflicts that flow from these trends. The course prepares students for majors and specializations in regional and urban economic analysis, and social geography. It also provides part of the necessary background for more advanced courses in urban, economic, social, political and transportation geography, as well as for parallel courses in marketing, housing, urban historical geography and urban studies. The following distribution of marks is tentative and may be altered slightly before the course begins. Assignments will not be accepted later than one week after the due date.