ANTH 3368 "Urban Life" and SOCI 3368 "Urban Problems"

class: TuTh 11:00 to 12:20, (new room number #155 FOSC, old room number #116 FOSC)

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.

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

8/17

Introduction

none

8/22

"The City in History"

Urban Life : Smith, Sjoberg

8/24

"The City in History"

Urban Life : Schell, Zenner

8/29

"Urbanism"

Discuss Project #1 ("My Hometown")

Urban Life : Wirth, Milgram

8/31

"Urbanism"

Urban Life : Rotenberg, Cook, Merry

9/5

Presentations: Project #1 ("My Hometown)

none

9/7

Presentations: Project #1 ("My Hometown)

none

9/12

"Urban Fieldwork"

Urban Life : Foster & Kemper, Bestor

9/14

"Urban Fieldwork"

Urban Life : Gmelch, Abolafia

9/19

Discuss Project #2 ("Dallas Tour")

Ragland article, Resources/Links on web site

9/21

"Migration and Adaptation"

Urban Life : G. Gmelch, Brettell

9/26

"Migration and Adaptation"

Urban Life : Nelson, Rhoades

9/28

Case Study: "Tzintzuntzan Migration"

Urban Life : Kemper

10/3

Video: “Continent on the Move” (1993), 60 minutes [IVS02921]

none

10/5

"Urban Class and Family"

Urban Life : Lewis, Goode

10/10

FALL BREAK

none

10/12

"Urban Class and Family"

Urban Life : Glasser

10/17

Case Study: "Homelessness in Dallas"

Kemper -- Homelessness in Dallas -- 1997 (on web site)

10/19

Video: “The Forgotten Americans” (2000), 56 minutes [IVS 07188]

turn in the summary/reflection on the Kemper "Homelessness in Dallas" article

10/24

Presentations: Project #2 ("Dallas Tour")

none

10/26

Presentations: Project #2 ("Dallas Tour")

none

10/31

none

11/2

Case Study: "Community Transformation

in Dallas-Fort Worth"

Communities Old and New in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metropolitan Area

11/7

"Globalization and Transnationalism"

Urban Life : Foner, Brennan

11/9

Video: "The Other Side of the Border" (1987), 60 minutes [IVS 00810]

Urban Life : Condry

11/14

Case Study: "Urban Institutions: Faith-Based Communities"

Faith-Based Community Organizations

11/16

NO CLASS (AAA MEETING)

recommended reading: Kemper "Religious Institutions and Cities"

11/21

Video: "Halsted Street" (1999), 57 minutes [IVS 06956]

none

11/23

NO CLASS (THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY)

none

11/28

Summary; Implications for the Future; Map Quiz

Urban Life : Zenner (review)

ASSIGNMENTS:

DATE DUE

ASSIGNMENT

GRADE %

9/5

"My Hometown" Project

10%

10/12

"Dallas Tour"

20%

each class meeting as assigned

Readings – summary/ reflections

(you must turn in 30 @100 words)

30%

from time to time

in-class quizzes

5%

11/28

Map Quiz (see Study Guide)

5%

12/7

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)