AP/ANTH 4450 3.00 Anthropology of the City

NOT OFFERED DURING 2023-2024 ACADEMIC YEAR

This course is a study of everyday life in cities across the Americas, past and present. Using the theory and methods of urban anthropology, we will analyse how ordinary people make a living, create community, and respond to inequity in urban regions built on colonised land. In the process, students will conduct original research, enrich their perspectives on urban social and political issues, and refine their analytical and communications skills in preparation for post-graduate studies and/or professional contexts.

The course consists of three parts. Part One, Urbanisation, introduces urban anthropology, and analyses a selection of key moments in the development of urban regions across the Americas. Part Two, Diversity, is a series of case studies of the interplay between urban design, cultural diversity, and systemic inequity in everyday life. Part Three, Struggle, examines conflicts over territory, resources, and representation from the perspectives ofmarginalised city-dwellers. Topics covered throughout the three parts include globalisation, urban planning, multiculturalism, gentrification, social movements, and popular culture.