Our world is now an urban world, and rapidly becoming more so. This course provides a broad introduction to the urbanization process, the bases of urban growth, and the internal structure, growth and living environments of contemporary cities.
Emphasis is given to both conceptual and empirical questions.
Particular attention is paid to recent trends in urban development, as well as to the policy issues, social tensions and political conflicts that flow from these trends, and to current planning practices in Canada and abroad. The course serves as the main entry point for specializations in urban studies, 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 planning. During the year, students will complete the equivalent of four assignments related to the topics covered in the lectures and tutorials, as well as a mid-term test and a final examination. Assignments will not be accepted later than one week after the due date.