At Bryn Mawr: Growth and Structure of Cities, 2012-2013
Students may complete a major or minor in Growth and Structure of Cities. Complementing the major, students may complete a minor in Environmental Studies or a concentration in Latin American, Latino and Iberian Peoples and Cultures. Students also may enter the 3-2 Program in City and Regional Planning, offered in cooperation with the University of Pennsylvania.
The interdisciplinary Growth and Structure of Cities major challenges students to understand the dynamic relationships connecting urban spatial organization and the built environment with politics, economics, cultures and societies worldwide. Core introductory classes present analytic approaches that explore changing forms of the city over time and analyze the variety of ways through which women and men have re-created global urban life across history and across cultures. With these foundations, students pursue their interests through classes in architecture, urban social and economic relations, urban history, studies of planning and the environmental conditions of urban life. Opportunities for internships, volunteering and study abroad also enrich the major. Advanced seminars further ground the course of study by focusing on specific cities and topics.
Associate Professor Juan Arbona,
Senior Lecturer and ChairJeffrey Cohen
Instructor David Consiglio
Visiting Assistant Professor Megan Heckert
Professor Carola Hein
Professor Gary McDonogh (on leave 2012-2013)
Visiting Studio Critic Sam Olshin
Associate Professor Ellen Stroud
Senior Lecturer Daniela Holt Voith
Visiting Assistant Professor Jun Zhang
A minimum of 15 courses (11 courses in Cities and four allied courses in other related fields) is required to complete the major. Two introductory courses (CITY 185, 190) balance sociocultural and formal approaches to urban form and the built environment, and introduce cross-cultural and historical comparison of urban development. The introductory sequence should be completed with a broad architectural survey course (CITY 253, 254, 255) and a second social science course that entails extended analysis (CITY 217 or 229). These courses should be completed as early as possible in the first and second years; at least two of them must be taken by the end of the first semester of the sophomore year. Students are encouraged to use other writing-intensive classes within the major to develop a range of skills in methods, theory and presentation. In addition to these introductory courses, each student selects six elective courses within the Cities Department, including cross-listed courses. At least two must be at the 300 level. In the senior year, a third advanced course is required. Most students join together in a research seminar, CITY 398, in the Fall of that year. Occasionally, however, after consultation with the major advisers, the student may elect another 300-level course or a program for independent research. This is often the case with double majors who write a thesis in another field.
Each student must also identify four courses outside Cities that represent additional expertise to complement his or her work in the major. These may include courses such as physics and calculus for architects, additional courses in economics, political science, sociology or anthropology for students more focused on the social sciences and planning, or courses that build on language, design or regional interests. Any minor, concentration or second major also fulfills this requirement. Cities courses that are cross-listed with other departments or originate in them can be counted only once in the course selection, although they may be either allied or elective courses.
Both the Cities Department electives and the four or more allied courses must be chosen in close consultation with the major advisers in order to create a strongly coherent sequence and focus. This is especially true for students interested in architectural design, who will need to arrange studio courses (CITY 226, 228) as well as accompanying courses in math, science and architectural history; they should contact the department chair or Daniela Voith in their first year. Likewise, students interested in pursuing a minor in Environmental Studies should consult with Ellen Stroud early in their career, and those interested in pursuing a concentration in Iberian, Latin American, and Latino/a themes should consult with Gary McDonogh.
Finally, students should also note that many courses in the department are given on an alternate-year basis. Many carry prerequisites in art history, economics, history, sociology or the natural sciences.
Programs for study abroad or off campus are encouraged, within the limits of the Bryn Mawr and Haverford rules and practices. In general, a one-semester program is strongly preferred. The Cities Department regularly works with off-campus and study-abroad programs that are strong in architectural history, planning and design, as well as those that allow students to pursue social and cultural interests. Students who would like to spend part or all of their junior year away must consult with the major advisers and appropriate deans early in their sophomore year.
Cities majors have created major plans that have allowed them to coordinate their interests in cities with architecture, planning, ethnography, history, law, environmental studies, mass media, social justice, medicine, public health, the fine arts and other fields. No matter the focus, though, each Cities major must develop a solid foundation in both the history of architecture and urban form and the analysis of urban culture, experience and policy. Careful methodological choices, clear analytical writing, and critical visual analysis constitute primary emphases of the major. Strong interaction with faculty and other students are an important and productive part of the Cities Department, which helps us all take advantage of the major’s flexibility in an organized and rigorous way.
Students who wish to minor in the Cities Department must take at least two out of the four required courses and four cities electives, including two at the 300 level. Senior Seminar is not mandatory for fulfilling the Cities minor.
Over the past two decades, many Cities majors have entered the 3-2 Program in City and Regional Planning, offered in conjunction with the University of Pennsylvania. Students interested in this program should meet with Carola Hein early in their sophomore year.
CITY B103 Earth System Science and the Environment (Cross-listed as GEOL-B103)
L. Elkins, D. Barber
This integrated approach to studying the Earth focuses on interactions among geology, oceanography and biology. Also discussed are the consequences of population growth, industrial development and human land use. Two lectures and one afternoon of laboratory or fieldwork per week. A required two-day (Fri.-Sat.) field trip is taken in April. Counts toward Environmental Studies. Offered in Spring 2013.
CITY B104 Archaeology of Agricultural and Urban Revolutions (Cross-listed as ARCH-B104)
From Egypt to India This course examines the archaeology of the two most fundamental changes that have occurred in human society in the last 12,000 years, agriculture and urbanism, and we explore these in Egypt and the Near East as far as India. We also explore those societies that did not experience these changes. Counts toward Environmental Studies. Not offered in 2012-2013.
CITY B110 The World Through Classical Eyes (Cross-listed as ARCH-B110 and CSTS-B110)
A survey of the ways in which the ancient Greeks and Romans perceived and constructed their physical and social world. The evidence of ancient texts and monuments will form the basis for exploring such subjects as cosmology, geography, travel and commerce, ancient ethnography and anthropology, the idea of natural and artificial wonders, and the self-definition of the classical cultures in the context of the oikoumene, the “inhabited world.” Not offered in 2012-2013.
CITY B115 Classical Art (Cross-listed as ARCH-B115, CSTS-B115 and HART-B115)
An introduction to the visual arts of ancient Greece and Rome from the Bronze Age through Late Imperial times (circa 3000 B.C.E. to 300 C.E.). Major categories of artistic production are examined in historical and social context, including interactions with neighboring areas and cultures; methodological and interpretive issues are highlighted. Not offered in 2012-2013.
CITY B136 Working with Economic Data (Cross-listed as ECON-B136)
Applies selected principles of economics to the quantitative analysis of economic data; uses spreadsheets and other tools to collect and judge the reliability of economic data. Topics may include measures of income inequality and poverty; unemployment, national income and other measures of economic well-being; cost-benefit of public and private investments; construction of price indices and other government statistics; evaluating economic forecasts; and the economics of personal finance. Not offered in 2012-2013.
CITY B175 Environment and Society: History, Place, and Problems (Cross-listed as SOCL-B175)
Introduces the ideas, themes and methodologies of the interdisciplinary field of environmental studies beginning with definitions: what is nature? What is environment? And how do people and their settlements fit into each? The course then moves to distinct disciplinary approaches in which scholarship can and does (and does not) inform our perceptions of the environment. Assignments introduce methodologies of environmental studies, requiring reading landscapes, working with census data and government reports, critically interpreting scientific data, and analyzing work of experts. Counts toward Environmental Studies. Not offered in 2012-2013.
CITY B185 Urban Culture and Society (Cross-listed as ANTH-B185)
Examines techniques and questions of the social sciences as tools for studying historical and contemporary cities. Topics include political-economic organization, conflict and social differentiation (class, ethnicity and gender), and cultural production and representation. Philadelphia features prominently in discussion, reading and exploration as do global metropolitan comparisons through papers involving fieldwork, critical reading and planning/problem solving using qualitative and quantitative methods. Offered in Fall 2012.
CITY B190 The Form of the City: Urban Form from Antiquity to the Present (Cross-listed as HART-B190)
This course studies the city as a three-dimensional artifact. A variety of factors—geography, economic and population structure, politics, planning and aesthetics—are considered as determinants of urban form. Offered in Spring 2013.
CITY B200 Urban Sociology (Cross-listed as SOCL B200)
This course consists of an overview, as well as an analysis of the physical and social structure of the city. The first part of the course will deal with understanding exactly what a city consists of. The second part will focus on the social structure within cities. Finally, in the third part of the course, we will examine patterns of inequality and segregation in the city. Prerequisite: one social science course or permission of instructor. Not offered in 2012-2013.
CITY B201 Introduction to GIS for Social and Environmental Analysis
This course is designed to introduce the foundations of GIS with emphasis on applications for social and environmental analysis. It deals with basic principles of GIS and its use in spatial analysis and information management. Ultimately, students will design and carry out research projects on topics of their own choosing. Counts toward Environmental Studies. Offered in Fall 2012.
CITY B203 Ancient Greek Cities and Sanctuaries (Cross-listed as ARCH-B203)
A study of the development of the Greek city-states and sanctuaries. Archaeological evidence is surveyed in its historic context. The political formation of the city-state and the role of religion is presented, and the political, economic and religious institutions of the city-states are explored in their urban settings. The city-state is considered as a particular political economy of the Mediterranean and in comparison to the utility of the concept of city-state in other cultures. Not offered in 2012-2013.
CITY B204 Economics of Local Environmental Programs (Cross-listed as ECON-B242)
Considers the determinants of human impact on the environment at the neighborhood or community level and policy responses available to local government. How can economics help solve and learn from the problems facing rural and suburban communities? The instructor was a local township supervisor who will share the day-to-day challenges of coping with land use planning, waste disposal, dispute resolution and the provision of basis services. Prerequisite: ECON 105 Counts toward Environmental Studies. Offered in Spring 2013.
CITY B205 Social Inequality (Cross-listed as SOCL-B205)
Introduction to the major sociological theories of gender, racial-ethnic and class inequality with emphasis on the relationships among these forms of stratification in the contemporary United States, including the role of the upper class(es), inequality between and within families, in the work place and in the educational system. Counts toward Gender and Sexuality Studies. Not offered in 2012-2013.
CITY B206 Statistical Methods in Economics (Cross-listed as ECON-B203)
An introduction to econometric terminology and reasoning. Topics include descriptive statistics, probability and statistical inference. Particular emphasis is placed on regression analysis and on the use of data to address economic issues. The required computational techniques are developed as part of the course. Prerequisites: ECON B105, or H101 and H102, and a 200-level elective (may be waived by the instructor). Fulfills quantitative requirement. Not offered in 2012-2013.
CITY B207 Topics in Urban Studies
A mid-level course that explores how we understand and write about architecture and architectural history, based on the analysis of visual materials, close reading of texts and visits to actual sites. Current topic description: An exploration of the architecture and evolution of the Philadelphia area over three centuries. A local focus will allow both first-hand experience of buildings and reference to period archival evidence as a basis for constructing a nuanced understanding of the subject. Offered in Spring 2013.
CITY B210 Natural Hazards (Cross-listed as GEOL-B209)
A quantitative approach to understanding the earth processes that impact human societies. We consider the past, current and future hazards presented by geologic processes, including earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides, floods and hurricanes. The course includes discussion of the social, economic, and policy contexts within which natural geologic processes become hazards. Case studies are drawn from contemporary and ancient societies. Lecture three hours a week, with one day-long field trip. Prerequisite: one semester of college science or permission of instructor. Counts toward Environmental Studies. Not offered in 2012-2013.
CITY B212 Medieval Architecture (Cross-listed as HART-B212)
Not just Gothic cathedrals, medieval architecture includes mosques, synagogues, fortifications, palaces, monasteries and other residential structures produced in Europe, North Africa and the Middle East between about 300 and 1350 C.E. This course offers a selective overview and an introduction to research in this broad and diverse field of study. Not offered in 2012-2013.
CITY B213 Taming the Modern Corporation (Cross-listed as ECON-B213)
Introduction to the economics of industrial organization and regulation, focusing on policy options for ensuring that corporations enhance economic welfare and the quality of life. Topics include firm behavior in imperfectly competitive markets; theoretical bases of antitrust laws; regulation of product and occupational safety; environmental pollution; and truth in advertising. Prerequisite: ECON H101 or B105. Offered in Fall 2012.
CITY B214 Public Finance (Cross-listed as ECON-B214)
Analysis of the government's role in resource allocation, emphasizing effects of tax and expenditure programs on income distribution and economic efficiency. Topics include sources of inefficiency in markets and possible government responses; federal budget composition; social insurance and antipoverty programs; U.S. tax structure and incidence. Prerequisite: ECON H101 or B105. Offered in Spring 2013.
CITY B215 Urban Economics (Cross-listed as ECON-B215)
Micro- and macroeconomic theory applied to urban economic behavior. Topics include housing and land use; transportation; urban labor markets; urbanization; and demand for and financing of urban services. Prerequisite: ECON 105, or 101 and 102. Not offered in 2012-2013.
CITY B217 Research Methods and Theories
This course will provide the student with the basic skills to design and implement a research project. The emphasis will be on the process (and choices) of constructing a research project and on “learning by doing.” The course will encompass both quantitative and qualitative techniques and will examine the strengths and weaknesses of each strategy. By the end of the semester students will have learned the basics for planning and executing research on a topic of their choice. Offered in Spring 2013.
CITY B218 Topics in World Cities: Contemporary Chinese Urbanism (Cross-listed as EAST-B218)
An introduction to contemporary issues related to the urban environment. Topics vary. Not offered in 2012-2013.
CITY B220 Comparative Social Movements in Latin America (Cross-listed as SOCL-B259, POLS B259)
An examination of resistance movements to the power of the state and globalization in three Latin American societies: Mexico, Columbia and Peru. The course explores the political, legal and socio-economic factors underlying contemporary struggles for human and social rights, and the role of race, ethnicity and coloniality play in these struggles. Offered in Fall 2012.
CITY B222 Introduction to Environmental Issues (Cross-listed as POLS-B222)
An exploration of the ways in which different cultural, economic and political settings have shaped issue emergence and policy making. We examine the politics of particular environmental issues in selected countries and regions. We also assess the prospects for international cooperation in solving global environmental problems such as climate change. Counts toward Environmental Studies. Offered in Spring 2013.
CITY B225 Economic Development (Cross-listed as ECON-B225)
Examination of the issues related to and the policies designed to promote economic development in the developing economies of Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East. Focus is on why some developing economies grow faster than others and why some growth paths are more equitable, poverty reducing and environmentally sustainable than others. Includes consideration of the impact of international trade and investment policy, macroeconomic policies (exchange rate, monetary and fiscal policy) and sector policies (industry, agriculture, education, population and environment) on development outcomes in a wide range of political and institutional contexts. Prerequisite: ECON B105, or ECON H101 and H102. Counts toward International Studies Major. Offered in Spring 2013.
CITY B226 Introduction to Architectural Design
D. Voith, S. Olshin
This studio design course introduces the principles of architectural design. Prerequisites: drawing, some history of architecture and permission of instructor. Offered in Fall 2012.
CITY B227 Topics in Modern Planning (Cross-listed as FREN-B227, GERM-B227 and HART-B227)
This is a topics course. Topics vary. Not offered in 2012-2013.
CITY B228 Problems in Architectural Design
D. Voith, S. Olshin
A continuation of CITY B226 at a more advanced level. Prerequisites: CITY B226 or other comparable design work and permission of instructor. Offered in Spring 2013.
CITY B229 Topics in Comparative Urbanism (Cross-listed as ANTH-B229, EAST-B229, HART-B229 and SOCL-B230)
This is a topics course. Topics vary. Enrollment limited to 20 with preference to Cities majors. Current topic description: This course will examine different building forms and processes in greater China, including Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan, from the imperial to the contemporary eras. It starts with the concrete buildings (residential houses) to the more abstract building (ethnicity, nation-state, historical narratives). With a comparative perspective and an historical approach, this course seeks to familiarize students with the perception of seeing cities as built environments as well as processes. Offered in Spring 2013.
CITY B234 Environmental Economics (Cross-listed as ECON-B234)
Introduction to the use of economic analysis to explain the underlying behavioral causes of environmental and natural resource problems and to evaluate policy responses to them. Topics may include air and water pollution; the economic theory of externalities, public goods and the depletion of resources; cost-benefit analysis; valuing nonmarket benefits and costs; economic justice; and sustainable development. Prerequisites: ECON B105, or ECON H101 and H102. Offered in Fall 2012.
CITY B237 Urbanization in Africa (Cross-listed as HIST-B237)
The course examines the cultural, environmental, economic, political, and social factors that contributed to the expansion and transformation of preindustrial cities, colonial cities, and cities today. We will examine various themes, such as the relationship between cities and societies; migration and social change; urban space, health problems, city life, and women. Counts toward: Africana Studies and Environmental Studies. Not offered in 2012-2013.
CITY B238 The Economics of Globalization (Cross-listed as ECOn-B236)
An introduction to international economics through theory, policy issues and problems. The course surveys international trade and finance, as well as topics in international economics. It investigates why and what a nation trades, the consequences of such trade, the role of trade policy, the behavior and effects of exchange rates, and the macroeconomic implications of trade and capital flows. Topics may include the economics of free trade areas, world financial crises, outsourcing, immigration, and foreign investment. Prerequisites: ECON 105. The course is not open to students who have taken ECON 316 or 348. Counts towards International Studies Major. Offered in Fall 2012.
CITY B241 Building Green: Sustainable Design Past and Present
At a time when more than half of the human population lives in cities, the design of the urban environment is a key aspect of environmental studies. This course is designed for students to investigate issues of sustainable architecture and urban design in past and present. Counts toward Environmental Studies. Not offered in 2012-2013.
CITY B243 Economic Inequality and Government Policy Choices (Cross-listed as ECON B243)
This course will examine the U.S. economy and the effects of government policy choices. The class will focus on the potential trade-offs between economic efficiency and greater economic equality. Some of the issues that will be explored include tax, education and health care policies. Different perspectives on issues will be examined. Prerequisite: ECON 105. Offered in Fall 2012.
CITY B244 Great Empires of the Ancient Near East (Cross-listed as ARCH-B244, HIST-B244 and POLS-B244)
A survey of the history, material culture, political and religious ideologies of, and interactions among, the five great empires of the ancient Near East of the second and first millennia B.C.E.: New Kingdom Egypt, the Hittite Empire in Anatolia, the Assyrian and Babylonian Empires in Mesopotamia, and the Persian Empire in Iran. Not offered in 2012-2013.
CITY B247 Topics in German Cultural Studies (Cross-listed as GERM-B223 and HISTO-B247)
This is a topics course. Topics vary. Offered in Fall 2012.
CITY B249 Asian American Communities (Cross-listed as ANTH-B249 and SOCL-B249)
This course is an introduction to the study of Asian American communities that provides comparative analysis of major social issues confronting Asian Americans. Encompassing the varied experiences of Asian Americans and Asians in the Americas, the course examines a broad range of topics—community, migration, race and ethnicity, and identities—as well as what it means to be Asian American and what that teaches us about American society. Offered in Fall 2012.
CITY B250 Growth & Spatial Organization of the City (Cross-listed as HIST-B251)
cities. Topics vary. Current topic description: This course explores factors that have shaped the form and evolution of Cities. In Fall 2012 it will focus on the recent history of U.S. cities as both physical spaces and social entities. How have the definitions, political roles and social perceptions of U.S. cities changed since 1900? And how have those shifts, along with changes in transportation, communication, construction and other technologies affected both the people and places that comprise U.S. cities? Counts toward Environmental Studies. Offered in Fall 2012.
CITY B253 Survey of Western Architecture (Cross-listed as HART-B253 and HIST-B253)
The course frames the topic of architecture before the impact of 20th-century Modernism, with a special focus on the two prior centuries—especially the 19th in ways that treat them on their own terms rather than as precursors of more modern technologies and forms of expression. The course will integrate urbanistic and vernacular perspectives alongside more familiar landmark exemplars. Key goals and components of the course will include attaining a facility within pertinent bibliographical and digital landscapes, formal analysis and research skills exercised in writing projects, class field-trips and a nuanced mastery of the narratives embodied in the architecture of these centuries. Offered in Spring 2013.
CITY B254 History of Modern Architecture (Cross-listed as HART-B254)
A survey of the development of modern architecture since the 18th century. The course focuses on international networks in the transmission of architectural ideas since 1890. Offered in Fall 2012.
CITY B255 Survey of American Architecture (Cross-listed as HART-B255)
An examination of landmarks, patterns, landscapes, designers and motives in the creation of the American built environment over four centuries. The course will address the master narrative of the traditional survey course, while also probing the relation of this canon to the wider realms of building in the United States. Not offered in 2012-2013.
CITY B260 Show and Spectacle in Ancient Greece and Rome (Cross-listed as CSTS-B255, ARCH-B255 and HIST-B285)
A survey of public entertainment in the ancient world, including theater and dramatic festivals, athletic competitions, games and gladiatorial combats, and processions and sacrifices. Drawing on literary sources, with attention to art and the archaeology and topography, we will explore the social, political and religious contexts of ancient spectacle. Special consideration will be given to modern equivalents of staged entertainment and representation of ancient spectacle in contemporary film and interpretive approaches such as gaze studies and carnivalesque.
CITY B266 Schools in American Cities (Cross-listed as EDUC-B266 and SOCL-B266)
This course examines issues, challenges and possibilities of urban education in contemporary America. We use as critical lenses issues of race, class and culture; urban learners, teachers and school systems; and restructuring and reform. While we look at urban education nationally over several decades, we use Philadelphia as a focal “case” that students investigate through documents and school placements. Enrollment is limited to 25 with priority given to students pursuing certification or the minor in educational studies and to majors in Sociology and Growth and Structure of Cities. This is a Praxis I course (weekly fieldwork in a school required). Counts toward Africana Studies and the Praxis Program. Offered in Spring 2013.
CITY B267 Philadelphia, 1682 to Present (Cross-listed as HIST-B267)
This course will focus on the intersection of the sense of Philadelphia as it is popularly understood and the Philadelphia that we can reconstruct individually and together using scholarly books and articles, documentary and popular films and novels, visual evidence and visits to the chief repositories of the city’s history. We will analyze the relationship between the official representations of Philadelphia and their sources and we will create our own history of the city. Preference given to junior and senior Growth and Structure of Cities and History majors, and those students who were previously lotteried out of the course. Not offered in 2012-2013.
CITY B268 Greek and Roman Architecture (Cross-listed as ARCH B268; HART B268)
The course will introduce the structure of Greek and Roman cities and sanctuaries, the variety of building types and monuments found within them, and how local populations used and lived in the architectural environment of the classical world. Not offered in 2012-2013.
CITY B269 Black America in Sociological Perspective (Cross-listed as SOCL-B229)
This course provides sociological perspectives on various issues affecting Black America: the legacy of slavery; the formation of urban ghettos; the struggle for civil rights; the continuing significance of discrimination; the problems of crime and criminal justice; educational under-performance; entrepreneurial and business activities; the social roles of black intellectuals, athletes, entertainers and creative artists.Counts toward Africana Studies. Not offered in 2012-2013.
CITY B276 Philadelphia Mural Arts
PPhiladelphia is home to 3,000 murals. Students will explore this exciting movement in civic activism and the arts, leading the design and execution of a legacy mural project celebrating Bryn Mawr’s 125th. Students will gain experience with community organizing for this project, in Philadelphia as well as on campus. Counts toward the Praxis Program. Not offered in 2012-2013.
CITY B278 American Environmental History (Cross-listed as HIST-B278)
This course explores major themes of American environmental history, examining changes in the American landscape, development of ideas about nature and the history of environmental activism. Students will study definitions of nature, environment and environmental history while investigating interactions between Americans and their physical worlds. Counts toward Environmental Studies. Offered in Spring 2013.
CITY B279 Cities and the Human Dimensions of Global Environmental Change
In this course, we focus on the human dimensions of global environmental change, especially as it relates to urban sustainability. While sustainability has often narrowly been viewed in environmental terms, we will analyze social and environmental justice as integral components of urban sustainability. Counts toward: Environmental Studies. Not offered in 2012-2013.
CITY B286 Themes in British Empire (Cross-listed as HIST B286, POLS B286)
This course explores major themes of American environmental history, examining changes in the American landscape, development of ideas about nature and the history of environmental activism. Students will study definitions of nature, environment and environmental history while investigating interactions between Americans and their physical worlds. Current topic description: This course explores the politics and genealogies on nationalist movements in the Indian subcontinent from the late 19th century through the establishment of sovereign nations from 1947-72, considering the implications and legacies of empire, nationalism and anti-colonialism for the nations and peoples of the subcontinent from Independence through the present. Offered in Spring 2013.
CITY B287 Urbanism as a Way of Life (Cross-listed as SOCL B287)
How do cities affect our understanding of ourselves as individuals and our perception of the larger group? This course examines the urban experience, which extends far beyond the boundaries of the city itself. An introduction to urban sociology, the course will also make use of history, anthropology, literature and art. Not offered in 2012-2013.
CITY B298 Advanced Research Methods:Thesis Proposal Workshop
The major goal of this workshop is preparing Cities juniors for their senior thesis. Students will develop their research proposals through the course of the semester. The workshop focuses on framing research questions, compiling a literature review and outlining research design, with a comprehensive research proposal as the final product. The final research proposal will provide guidance for students’ summer research and will lay down a solid foundation for their senior thesis writing in the succeeding fall semester. Offered in Spring 2013.
CITY B301 Topics in Modern Architecture
This is a topic course. Course content varies. Not offered in 2012-2013.
CITY B305 Ancient Athens (Cross-listed as ARCH-B305)
This course is an introduction to the Acropolis of Athens, perhaps the best-known acropolis in the world. We will explore its history, understand and interpret specific monuments and their sculptural decoration and engage in more recent discussions, for instance, on the role the Acropolis played in shaping the Hellenic identity. Not offered in 2012-2013.
CITY B306 Advanced Fieldwork Techniques: Places in Time
A workshop for research into the histories of places, intended to bring students into contact with some of the raw materials of architectural and urban history. A focus will be placed on historical images and texts, and on creating engaging informational experiences that are transparent to their evidentiary basis. Offered in Fall 2012.
CITY B312 Topics in Medieval Art (Cross-listed as HART-B311 and HIST-B311)
This is a topics course. Course content varies. Current topic description: Kings, Caliphs and Emperor: Images of Authority in the Era of the Crusades. Counts toward Middle Eastern Studies. Offered in Spring 2013.
CITY B314 The Economics of Social Policy (Cross-listed as ECON-B314)
Introduces students to the economic rationale behind government programs and the evaluation of government programs. Topics include health insurance, social security, unemployment and disability insurance, and education. Additionally, the instructor and students will jointly select topics of special interest to the class. Emphasis will be placed on the use of statistics to evaluate social policy. Prerequisites: ECON 200; ECON 203 or 304. Offered in Fall 2012.
CITY B316 Trade and Transport in the Ancient World (Cross-listed as ARCH B316)
Issues of trade, commerce and production of export goods are addressed with regard to the Aegean cultures of the Late Bronze Age and the wider Mediterranean of the first millennium B.C.E. Crucial to these systems is the development of the means of transport for land and sea. Readings from ancient texts are targeted with the evidence of archaeological/ underwater excavation and information on the commodities traded in antiquity. Offered in Fall 2012.
CITY B318 Topics in Urban Social and Cultural Theory
This is a topics course. Course content varies. Current topic description: The neoliberal project has become the “common sense” in the political and economic organization of cities throughout the world. In this course we will explore the epistemological roots of the neoliberal project, its implications to urban space in the global north and south, and the current responses ranging from the “water war” in Bolivia, the “anti-privatization forum” in South Africa to the “Occupy movement” in the U.S. Prerequisites: Completion of introductory sequence in Cities (esp. CITY B185, B217/B229) or equivalent work or permission of instructor. Offered in Spring 2013.
CITY B319 Advanced Topics in German Cultural Studies (Cross-listed as GERM-B321, COML-B321 and HART-B348)
This is a topics course. Course content varies. Not offered in 2012-2013.
CITY B321 Technology and Politics (Cross-listed as POLS-B321)
An analysis of the complex role of technology in political and social life. We focus on the relationship between technological development and democratic governance. Discussion of theoretical approaches is supplemented by case studies of particular issues, such as electoral politics, warfare and terrorism, social networking and citizen mobilization, climate change, agriculture and food safety. Counts toward Environmental Studies. Not offered in 2012-2013.
CITY B323 Topics in Renaissance Art
Selected subjects in Italian art from painting, sculpture, and architecture between the years 1400 and 1600. Not offered in 2012-2013.
CITY B324 Economics of Discrimination & Inequality (Cross-listed as ECON-324)
Explores the causes and consequences of discrimination and inequality in economic markets. Topics include economic theories of discrimination and inequality, evidence of contemporary race- and gender-based inequality, detecting discrimination and identifying sources of racial and gender inequality. Additionally, the instructor and students will jointly select supplementary topics of specific interest to the class. Possible topics include: discrimination in historical markets, disparity in legal treatments, issues of family structure, and education gaps. Prerequisites: At least one 200-level applied microeconomics elective, ECON 203 or 204, and Economics 200 or 202. Not offered in 2012-2013.
CITY B325 Topics in Social History (Cross-listed as HIST-B325)
This a topics course that explores various themes in American social history. Course content varies. Not offered in 2012-2013.
CITY B328 Analysis of Geospatial Data Using GIS (Cross-listed as ARCH-B328, BIOL-B328 and GEOL-B328)
Advanced seminar in the analysis of geospatial data, theory and the practice of geospatial reasoning. Counts toward Environmental Studies. Not offered in 2012-2013.
CITY B329 Advanced Topics in Urban Environmental Studies
This is a topics course. Topics vary. Counts toward Environmental Studies. Offered in Spring 2013.
CITY B335 Mass Media and the City (Cross-listed as ANTH-B335)
Mass media raises ever-changing global issues in study and praxis in Cities. This advanced seminar looks closely at media through a limited lens—the mediation of a single city (Hong Kong, Philadelphia, Los Angeles), questions of genre (cinema, television, Web) or around particular theoreticians and questions (Barthes and myth; Marxism and media). Topics will vary. Current topic description: This course examines different forms of popular culture in East Asia. Looking at TV soap operas, animation, music and fast food, we will explore how class, gender and national identities are constructed and contested through pop culture that is shaped by these social relationships in specific political and historical contexts. Prerequisite: Advanced standing in Cities Major. Offered in Fall 2012.
CITY B336 East Asian Development (Cross-listed as ECON B335, EAST B335)
Identifies the core economic and political elements of an East Asian newly industrializing economies (NIEs) development model. Assesses the performance of this development model in Northeast (Korea and Taiwan) and Southeast Asia (Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand) in a comparative perspective. Considers the debate over the impact of interventionist and selective development policies associated with this model on the development successes and failures of the East Asian NIEs. Prerequisites: ECON 200 or 202; ECON 253 or 304; or permission of instructor. Offered in Spring 2013.
CITY B338 The New African Diaspora: African and Caribbean Immigrants in the United States (Cross-listed as SOCL-B338)
An examination of the socioeconomic experiences of immigrants who arrived in the United States since the landmark legislation of 1965. After exploring issues of development and globalization at “home” leading to migration, the course proceeds with the study of immigration theories. Major attention is given to the emergence of transnational identities and the transformation of communities, particularly in the northeastern United States. Counts toward Africana Studies. Not offered in 2012-2013.
CITY B345 Advanced Topics in Environment and Society (Cross-listed as SOCL-B346)
This is a topics course. Topics vary. Counts toward Environmental Studies. Offered in Spring 2013.
CITY B348 Culture and Ethnic Conflict (Cross-listed as POLS-B348)
An examination of the role of culture in the origin, escalation and settlement of ethnic conflicts. This course examines the politics of culture and how it constrains and offers opportunities for ethnic conflict and cooperation. The role of narratives, rituals and symbols is emphasized in examining political contestation over cultural representations and expressions such as parades, holy sites, public dress, museums, monuments and language in culturally framed ethnic conflicts from all regions of the world. Prerequisites: two courses in the social sciences. Counts toward Peace, Conflict and Social Justice Studies. Not offered in 2012-2013.
CITY B355 Topics in the History of London (Cross-listed as HART-B355)
SSelected topics of social, literary and architectural concern in the history of London, emphasizing London since the 18th century. Not offered Fall 2012.
CITY B360 Topics in Urban Culture and Society (Cross-listed as ANTH-B359, HART-B359 and SOCL-B360)
This is a topics course. Course content varies. Counts toward Environmental Studies. Not offered in 2012-2013.
CITY B365 Techniques of the City: Space, Place, and Power
This is a topics course. Course content varies. Current topic description: The course will frame an interdisciplinary and multi-regional examination of how cars and social life are interwoven. The goal is to, by de-familiarizing a familiar object and experience, understand our society and culture. This examination also serves as an entry point to certain social theories and historical analysis. Offered in Spring 2013.
CITY B377 Topics in Modern Architecture (Cross-listed as HART-B377)
This is a topics course on modern architecture. Topics vary. Current topic description: This course uses the global architecture of oil—its extraction, administration, and resale—to examine the impact of international economic networks on architecture and urban form since the mid-19th century. Counts toward Environmental Studies. Offered in Spring 2013.
CITY B378 Formative Landscapes: The Architecture and Planning of American Collegiate Campuses
An exploration of the architecture, planning and visual rhetoric of American collegiate campuses from their early history to the present. Historical consideration of architectural trends and projected imageries will be complemented by student exercises involving documentary research on design genesis, typological contexts and critical reception. Not offered in 2012-2013.
CITY B398 Senior Seminar
J. Cohen/C. Hein/J. Arbona/J. Zhang
An intensive research seminar designed to guide students in writing a senior thesis. Offered in Fall 2012.
CITY B403 Independent Study
Not offered in 2012-2013.
CITY B415 Teaching Assistant
An exploration of course planning, pedagogy and creative thinking as students work to help others understand pathways they have already explored in introductory and writing classes. This opportunity is available only to advanced students of highest standing by professorial invitation. Offered in Fall 2012.
CITY B425 Cities: Praxis Independent Study
Current topic description: Part of the “Transforming Legacy of Oil 360°,” the focus of this course will be on the history of oil and oil related activities in Pennsylvania, as well as on the steps necessary to organize a conference at Bryn Mawr College on January 18 and 19, 2013. Students must also register for ECON B213, Taming the Modern Corporation, and CITY B377, The Global Architecture of Oil. To be considered for this course, students must preregister and submit responses to this questionnaire: https://brynmawr.wufoo.com/forms/transforming-legacy-of-oil-360ee/ by midnight on Thursday, April 4. Incomplete or late submissions cannot be considered. Counts toward Praxis Program. Offered in Fall 2012.
CITY B450 Urban Internships/Praxis
Individual opportunities to engage in praxis in the greater Philadelphia area; internships must be arranged prior to registration for the semester in which the internship is taken. Prerequisite: permission of instructor. Not offered in 2012-2013.