More and more people in today’s world live in cities. This course examines the special and often unique problems and challenges of both urban living and doing anthropological research on distinctly urban cultures, lifestyles and communities. Topics include the material and symbolic implications of increased urbanization worldwide; continuity and change in urban cultures; new opportunities, values and ways of life made possible in cities; concepts of space and place; and the conflicts and problems generated by recent trends in urban policy, planning, community development, and environmental impacts.

CILO-1: Describe the main and recent themes, concepts and debates in urban studies and urban planning in global perspectives. CILO-2: Critically examine the impacts of urban planning and urban policies to people, communities and environments. CILO-3: Apply different methods to study continuity and change in urban cultures values and ways of life.