This elective course is offered for
advanced undergraduate students.
e-mail: mzlatic@umd.edu
Office Hrs: Monday and Wednesday: 2:15 3:00, or by
appointment
Class meets: Monday and Wednesday: 1:00 2:15, Lefrak
Hall, Room 1220
COURSE DESCRIPTION
The focus of the class will be on
social fabric of contemporary cities. We will look into ways in which spatial
organization affects social relations - a socio-spatial approach to human
interaction with the urban environment; ways people perceive, define, behave in,
and structure their cities and metropolitan areas. Spatial patterns of social
activities as formed by the distribution and interaction of people and social
institutions will be analyzed, and the focus of the discussions will be on
controversial geographical issues of neighborhoods, segregation, homelessness,
urban renewal and gentrification in the urban environment and on analyzing the
opposite viewpoints that will create a running debate.
Blackboard
This course will use Blackboard -
www.courses.umd.edu/studentmanuel.
It is mandatory to get aquatinted
with this tool. Without Blackboard features, students will not be
able to participate in the exercises and their performance will be hindered.
A free peer training Blackboard course will be offered in early September. For introductory course registration and
further information go to the Peer Training web site: http://www.oit.umd.edu/pt
Course update: students are expected to check Blackboard daily for
announced AND unannounced changes in readings, exams, due dates, etc. All homework assignments and papers have to
be posted on Blackboard. Hard copy will not be accepted.
The
readings for the course are assigned from two primary sources:
(1)
required textbook, available for purchase at the
Macionis, J.J and V.N. Parrillo
(2004), Cities and Urban Life, Prentice Hall, ISBN: 0-13-111395-x
(2) Other readings
available on the web may be assigned from different sources. Information and
articles will be announced and posted on Blackboard.
DEBATE
Various urban problems will be explored during
this course. Students will be responsible for undertaking research of one such
problem and exploring arguments in support of or against the controversial
issue. Both a written and an oral presentation will be required of this
project. Each student will be
responsible for preparing arguments for a selected topic and be ready for
defending hers/his point of view. Besides he/she will have to submit written
outline of the arguments used in the in-class debate. Find at least 3 sources
of information outside of the textbooks. Describe where he/she stood on this
issue before undertook the research. Explain reasons for the views. Details of
the project and the debate with a choice of topics will be provided in the
first weeks of classes
RESEARCH
PAPER
Each student will have to prepare a
term paper related to the debate topic of hers/his choice. The debate outline is the bases for the research paper and
the topic can not be changed. In a research paper, besides presenting hers/his
position before the debate, a student has to include where she/he stands after
the debate and explain reasons for the views. Students are encouraged to
incorporate suggestions from class discussions in their final papers. A term paper is limited to minimum 10 pages
and maximum 12 pages not counting tables, charts, or other annexes (font 12, 1
margin, double-spaced, no cover page, has to have minimum five academic non web
sources outside the textbook or assigned reading). Details on research paper
could be obtained from the hand out How to write a research paper posted on Blackboard
Announcement as well as Homework space. Sources for
ALL ideas presented and quotations used are to be properly referenced using a
recognized bibliographic format. Students
could use MLA Handbook or any other writing manuals but have to be consistent
in the form of citing resources. If a student has any
questions about the written work, consult with me well in advance of the due
date. I strongly recommend visiting the
ATTENDANCE POLICY
Attendance
in my classes is mandatory. Participation in in-class discussion is part of the
grade and students should realize that irregular attendance will result in a
poor grade. Students who do not appear in class to carry on the assignments or
to participate in debate and discussions, do not post their work on time on Blackboard
will be given a score of "0" for each segment of the
requirement.
GRADING
|
Task |
Points |
% Grade |
|
1.
Participation in class discussions. Attendance and discussion
is mandatory and will be included in the grade. 2.
Presentation and leading discussion of a selected topic 3.
2 tests midterm and final (70 points each) 4.
Term paper (The first homework assignment (20 points), debate/research
paper outline (60 points) and final paper (120 points). |
50 50 140 200 Total 440 |
90-100 (A) 80-89 (B) 70-79 (C) 60-69 (D) 59 and > (F) |
Note: Each segment of written class requirements presentation, debate/research
paper outline, final paper has to be submitted on Blackboard. Hard copies
will not be accepted.
HONOR CODE
The University has a nationally
recognized Honor Code administered by the Student Honor Council. The
Student Honor Council proposed and the University Senate approved an
Honor Pledge. It reads: "I pledge on my honor that I have not given
or received any unauthorized assistance on this assignment/examination."
Unless you are specifically advised to the contrary,
the Pledge statement should be handwritten and signed on the
front cover of all papers, projects, or other
academic assignments submitted for evaluation in this course.
Students who fail to write and sign the Pledge will be asked to confer
with the instructor. For more information see page 21 of the normal
schedule of classes.
Tentative Schedule of Classes
|
Week |
Subject - Assignments |
Textbook, lecture notes and
articles posted on Blackboard |
|
(1) |
Introduction to social issues in the urban setting |
Summary of the course |
|
(2) |
Labor day holiday - no class
Exploring the
city
|
Macionis Chapter 1 |
|
(3) |
History of city development economic context of city
life A list of topics
will be passed around in the class
select a topic, and be prepared for a presentation and class discussion
at the date indicated next to the topic |
Macionis Chapter 2 and 13 |
|
(4) |
Homework 1: Submit working title of your term
paper and give a summary of the goals for your research. 500 words. Include
preliminary bibliography, and recommend ONE article to be read by the class before
your presentation/debate find instructions on Blackboard Homework space. Due: Monday of week 4 by 11:00 PM |
Macionis Chapter 3 and 4 |
|
(5) |
The
social arena of the city / Urbanism and social theory |
Macionis Chapter 5 and 6 |
|
(6) |
Patterns
of socio spatial differentiations Spatial
and institutional framework |
Macionis Chapter 7 |
|
(7) |
Reading Day Monday
week 7 MIDTERM EXAM - Wednesday
week 7 Homework 2: Submit detailed outline for the arguments of your debate. 1200 words. Instructions
on Blackboard Homework space. Due:
Wednesday of week 7 at 11:00 PM |
1- 6 weeks readings:
Textbook, lecture
notes and students articles posted on Blackboard |
|
|
Note: All presentations/debates are scheduled for
Wednesday except for the Thanksgiving week |
|
|
(8) |
The Cities
and Culture Debate/ First group lead discussion
(handout 500 pages) |
Macionis Chapter 8 |
|
(9) |
The Cities
and Capitalism Debate/ Second group lead discussion
(handout 500 pages) |
Macionis Chapter 9 |
|
(10) |
Urban and Suburban Lifestyle
Debate/ Third group lead discussion
(handout 500 pages) |
Macionis Chapter 10 |
|
(11) |
Urban Diversity Immigration Debate/ Fourth group lead discussion
(handout 500 pages) |
Macionis Chapter 11 |
|
(12) |
Urban
Diversity Race and Ethnicity Debate/ Fifth group lead discussion
(handout 500 pages) |
Macionis Chapter 11 |
|
(13) |
Housing Provision Debate on Monday / Sixth group lead discussion
(handout 500 pages) Draft research paper
due: Wednesday week 13. No late drafts will be accepted |
Macionis Chapter 12 |
|
(14) |
Urban
Problems Crime Debate/ Seventh group lead discussion
(handout 500 pages) |
Macionis Chapter 12 |
|
(15) |
Urban Challenge Education Matters Debate/ Eights group lead discussion
(handout 500 pages) |
Macionis Chapter 12 |
|
(16) |
Exam 2 Monday week 16 Final paper due by
the date/time scheduled for the final exam (see University exam schedule for exact time) No late paper will be accepted |
8- 15 weeks of reading, lectures,
and presentations |
Note: Check Blackboard for any changes in
the schedule or for additional texts.