ANTH 3368 "Urban Life"

class: TuTh 2:00 to 3:20   Dedman Life Sciences Bldg. 110

Instructor: Prof. Robert V. Kemper

office: 405 Heroy Bldg.

phone: 214-768-2928

email: rkemper@smu.edu

web site: http://faculty.smu.edu/rkemper

Course Description:

Examination of contemporary patterns of urban life in non-Western and Western societies, with special emphasis on intra-urban and urban-rural differences. Ethnicity, cultural pluralism, and socioeconomic stratification will be analyzed in the context of global, regional, national, and local patterns of urbanization. Prerequisites: None.

By the end of the semester, students should be able to:

a) appreciate, describe, and analyze the major features of urbanization and urbanism in contemporary nations, especially those related to internal and international population movements;

b) appreciate, describe, and analyze the key issues related to rural-urban similarities and differences for the United States and other nations;

c) appreciate, describe, and analyze the major issues of diversity and heterogeneity in urban settings in America and in other nations;

d) appreciate, describe, and analyze the importance of communities, institutions, and structures in urban life; and

e) appreciate, describe, and analyze the importance of transnational forces at work in urban systems within and across nations.

Course Objectives and Teaching Methods:

The course is intended to provide students with a cross-cultural perspective on urban problems, both within a society such as the United States and on a global, comparative basis. The course will involve a combination of lectures, discussion sessions, media presentations, and community research activities (to be reported on through in-class oral presentations and through written papers).

COURSE OUTLINE

DATE

TOPIC

READINGS -- Note: items marked in Red are no longer eligible for submission as summary/reflections.

1/20

Introduction

Video: "The City" (IVS 08304, 43 min., 1939)

none

Discuss Project #1 ("My Hometown")

MAP QUIZ

2/5

Urban Places and Spaces; Urban Communities

Urban Life : Wirth, Sjoberg, etc.

2/10

2/12

"Urbanism" and "Urbanization" -- Theories and Realities

Video: "The Urban Explosion" (IVS 08184; 56 min., 1999)

2/17

2/19

2/24

3/3

Faith-Based Community Organizations

Kemper "Religious Institutions and Cities"

Kemper "Religious Institutions and Cities -- Outline"

3/5

Video: "Lagos/Koolhaas" (IDD 01694; 55 min., 2004)

Discussion: Guide to Midterm Exam

3/10

3/12

3/17

Kemper -- Homelessness in Dallas

Adkins -- "Weapons of the Weak, by the Weak, for the Weak"

Urban Life : Glasser

2008 Homeless Count Dallas, TX

3/26

3/31

4/2

Case Study: "Tzintzuntzan Migration" -- Part 2

Video: "Tzintzuntzan -- Module on Migration"

4/7

Case Study: "Community Transformation

in Dallas-Fort Worth"

Video: "Big City Trail" (IVS 03052; 28 min., 1992)

Highly Recommended: UN Habitat Program, State of the World's Cities, 2008/2009 (see URL below, RESOURCES)

4/21

4/23

Post questions for the final exam to course web pages.

4/28

Case Study: "Hispanic Transportation"

Kemper "Hispanic Transportation" (on web site)

4/30

ASSIGNMENTS:

DATE DUE

ASSIGNMENT

GRADE %

3/19

Midterm Exam

25%

as assigned

Readings – summary/ reflections

(you must turn in 10 @100 words)

10%

Final Exam (take home)

30%

ADMINISTRATIVE NOTICES

Students needing academic accommodations for a disability must first contact Ms. Rebecca Marin, Coordinator, Services for Students with Disabilities (214-768-4557) to verify the disability and establish eligibility for accommodations. They should then schedule an appointment with the professor to make appropriate arrangements. (See University Policy No. 2.4.)

Religious Observance :

Religiously observant students wishing to be absent on holidays that require missing class should notify their professors in writing at the beginning of the semester, and should discuss with them, in advance, acceptable ways of making up any work missed because of the absence. (See University Policy No. 1.9.)

Excused Absences for University Extracurricular Activities :

Students participating in an officially sanctioned, scheduled University extracurricular activity should be given the opportunity to make up class assignments or other graded assignments missed as a result of their participation. It is the responsibility of the student to make arrangements with the instructor prior to any missed scheduled examination or other missed assignment for making up the work. (University Undergraduate Catalogue)