This course examines the interacting political, cultural, and economic forces which shape the forms of world urbanization and their respective local communities. We shall look at the development of urban/suburban areas historically and how people have conceptualized the "urban." An overview of the general field of urban studies is provided in addition to case study material related to specific cities. The other goal of this course is to provide you with an understanding and experience of doing qualitative fieldwork, gathering data and making sense of how public space is developed and used by the public. In addition, we shall also examine other methods of gathering quantitative data, such as document collection, and government data and city planning documents to help us understand how urban, suburban and rural areas grow and change. Combining qualitative field work with document collection and the use of government documents is useful in "triangulating" data, and bringing a more comprehensive understanding to city change.

Characteristics of American urban and suburban growth are examined with reference to developing social problems. Contemporary urban problems and policy issues, specifically, poverty, lack of affordable housing and homelessness will be examined. We shall also look at the new development of the "entertainment" city and the expansion of tourism and its impact on city development. Community life, politics and urban social movements will be discussed as agents of change. Finally, theories based upon the social production of urban/suburban space will be discussed in relationship to community change and to urban methods. The main goal is to provide a general overview of the field as well as develop students' ability to conduct urban based research in a local community

Course format and requirements:

The course will be run in seminar format with lectures and discussion centered on the topics of the week. In addition, the time in class will be used to work with organized student research teams who will be expected to explore the characteristics of Sonoma County's city and county jurisdictions, their social problems, race and class issues, housing issues, homelessness, planning and development issues, uses of public spaces, environmental impacts, and educational inequalities, and other features of urban/suburban/rural life.

In addition to completing one mid-term take home exam (20%) and a take-home final exam (20%) the student will also be expected to complete a final research project (40%) using the methods discussed in class either in conjunction with other team members or independently. Students will be expected to present their team reports to the class as a whole at the end of the semester. The student will also be expected to complete ten reaction papers (20%) covering the readings of each week.

Required class readings:

Gottdiener, Mark and Ray Hutchison. 2000. The New Urban Sociology. 2nd edition. NY: McGraw-Hill, Inc.

Bailey, Carol A. 1996. A Guide to Field Research. Thousand Oaks, CA: Pine Forge Press.

Lofland, Lyn. 1985. A World of Strangers: Order and Action in Urban Public Space. Prospect Heights, IL: Waveland Press.

Wright, Talmadge. 1997. Out of Place: Homeless Mobilizations, Subcities, and Contested Landscapes. NY: SUNY

Bourgois, Philippe. 1995. In Search of Respect: Selling Crack in El Barrio. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

A reader will also be made available to you at the Sonoma State University Bookstore.

Recommended reading:

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. 2000. The State of the Cities 2000. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, United States Government, Washington, D.C.

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