Introduction to Urban Studies
Professor/Instructor
M. Christine BoyerThis course will examine different crises confronting cities in the 21st century. Topics will range from immigration, to terrorism, shrinking population, traffic congestion, pollution, energy crisis, housing needs, water wars, race riots, extreme weather conditions, war and urban operations. The range of cities will include Los Angles, New Orleans, Paris, Logos, Caracas, Havana, New York, Hong Kong, and Baghdad among others.
Urban Sociology: The City and Social Change in the Americas
Professor/Instructor
Patricia Fernández-KellyBy taking a comparative approach, this course examines the role of social, economic, and political factors in the emergence and transformation of modern cities in the United States and selected areas of Latin America. The class considers the city in its dual image: both as a center of progress and as a redoubt of social problems, especially poverty. Special attention is given to spatial processes that have resulted in the aggregation and desegregation of populations differentiated by social class and race. Two lectures, one preceptorial.
Race and Ethnicity
Professor/Instructor
Patricia Fernández-KellyAn introduction to the sociological study of race and ethnicity which begins by encouraging students to exercise some critical distance from the core concepts of race and ethnicity. Topics will include comparative racism, immigration, the experiences of the second generation, whiteness, the culture of poverty debate, slums and ghettos, and the debate over the "underclass." Two lectures, one preceptorial.
Contemporary Issues in Spain
Professor/Instructor
Germán Labrador MéndezThis course will focus on current political, social, and cultural issues in Latin America and/or Spain, including social movements, new artistic developments, economic changes, environmental debates, globalization and culture, politics of memory, immigration and cultural conflicts, nationalist movements, etc. Each semester, the course will focus on one of two particular regions and countries, such as the Southern Cone, the Andean region, Central America, Brazil, Mexico and the borderlands, Spain, etc. This course will also strengthen the students' conversational skills through team discussion and oral presentations.
Structures and the Urban Environment
Professor/Instructor
Maria Eugenia Moreyra GarlockKnown as "Bridges", this course focuses on structural engineering as a new art form begun during the Industrial Revolution and flourishing today in long-span bridges, thin shell concrete vaults, and tall buildings. Through laboratory experiments students study the scientific basis for structural performance and thereby connect external forms to the internal forces in the major works of structural engineers. Illustrations are taken from various cities and countries thus demonstrating the influence of culture on our built environment. Two lectures, one three-hour laboratory.
Structures and the Urban Environment
Professor/Instructor
Maria Eugenia Moreyra GarlockKnown as "Bridges", this course focuses on structural engineering as a new art form begun during the Industrial Revolution and flourish today in long-span bridges, thin shell concrete vaults and tall buildings. Through critical analysis of major works, students are introduced to the methods of evaluating engineered structures as an art form. Students study the works and ideas of individual engineers through their basic calculations, their builder's mentality and their aesthetic imagination. Illustrations are taken from various cities and countries demonstrating the influence of culture on our built environment. Two lectures, one preceptorial.
Unrest and Renewal in Urban America
Professor/Instructor
Alison Ellen IsenbergFrom the colonial era to the present, this course weaves together a comprehensive history of American cities and suburbs, cutting across social life, politics, economics, culture, and the built environment. Topics include urban planning and design, public and private spaces, social experience, urban investment and disinvestment, the metropolitan economy, politics and policy, arts and culture, city leadership, and the participation of ordinary people in shaping urban and suburban life.
Theories of Housing and Urbanism
Professor/Instructor
Andrew LaingHousing ideas and urban projects of architects and social scientists since the mid-19th century as a response to industrialization, the development of the welfare state, the rise of professionalism, and the dispersion of democratic culture. Material drawn from architecture, urban planning, political theory, sociology, and social psychology. One three-hour seminar.
Architecture and Democracy
Professor/Instructor
What kind of public architecture is appropiate for a democracy? Should public spaces and buildings reflect democratic values - such as transparency and accessibility - or is the crucial requirement for democratic architecture that the process of arriving at decisions about the built environment is as particpatory as possible? The course will introduce students to different theories of democracy, to different approaches to architecture, and to many examples of government architecture from around the world (the U.S., Germany, and China in particular), via images and films. Might include one or two field trips.
Introduction to Water Pollution Technology
Professor/Instructor
Peter R. JafféAn introduction to the science of water quality management and pollution control in natural systems; fundamentals of biological and chemical transformations in natural waters; identification of sources of pollution; water and wastewater treatment methods; fundamentals of water quality modeling. Two lectures, field trips. Open to juniors and seniors, and graduate students only. Prerequisites: Student should have some background in chemistry and an interest in water pollution problems.
Topics in the Formal Analysis of the Urban Structure
Professor/Instructor
Mario Isaac GandelsonasThe Western city, American and European, has undergone a number of mutations since the Renaissance. This course will explore the complex relationships between different cities and architecture, between "real" cities and "fictional" architectural cities. Possible topics might include: urbanization as it affects contemporary life; the American vs. European city; the state of New Jersey, the exurban state "par excellence." One three-hour seminar.