ANTH 616: Anthropology of the City

ANTH 616-001: Anthropology of the City
(Spring 2019)

01:30 PM to 02:45 PM MW

Krug Hall 204

Section Information for Spring 2019

ANTH 616 - 001: Anthropology of the City

With half of humanity (54% according to UN figures from 2016) now living in cities, and the other half connected to global cultures and economies in one way or another, it is often hard to see where one culture begins and another ends. How have anthropological ideas and methods of studying societies and cultures – which used to focus on the small-scale – adapted to unprecedented urbanization? What can ethnography (the systematic study of peoples, customs and ways of life, based on participant observation research) bring to the understanding of human life in cities? This course will show how urban anthropology asks the big questions (about inequality, conflict, etc.) but answers them through local understandings and on-the-ground perspectives.

This aim of this course is for students to learn the theoretical trends in urban anthropology by looking at topics such as transnationalism and cultural identity; poverty and inequality; intersections of race, class, and gender; ethnic and religious diversity; urban planning and the built environment; middle class aspiration; how cities globalize, and more. How, we will ask, do cities complicate and unravel what it means to be human? We will read ethnographic studies of cities around the world to see how scholars devise their research questions, implement their methods, and do their analysis. What do cities around the world today tell us about social problems and how to solve them? How do ethnographic methods of long-term, in-depth study illuminate those problems and their potential solutions?

Students will have a choice of undertaking an ethnographic research project in the DC area OR writing a research paper on a topic of their choosing (in consultation with the professor) relating to the study of cities. In addition to the textbooks for this course (Urban Life and Practicing Ethnography), graduate students will read a range of contemporary urban ethnographies.

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Course Information from the University Catalog

Credits: 3

Examines classic and contemporary works in urban theory, in light of broader scholarly discussions of modernity and globalization. Uses a case-study approach to analyze topics such as: public and private space, citizenship and governance, architecture and design, housing, transportation, formal and informal settlements, and the contest over space and environmental resources in cities around the world. Notes: Course may be offered fall or spring. May not be repeated for credit.
Registration Restrictions:

Enrollment limited to students with a class of Advanced to Candidacy, Graduate, Junior Plus, Non-Degree or Senior Plus.

Enrollment is limited to Graduate, Non-Degree or Undergraduate level students.

Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.

Schedule Type: Seminar
Grading:
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.

The University Catalog is the authoritative source for information on courses. The Schedule of Classes is the authoritative source for information on classes scheduled for this semester. See the Schedule for the most up-to-date information and see Patriot web to register for classes.