The Urban Question as Tension

Urbanization is a defining characteristic of the 21st century and the Global South. Beyond demography, urbanization is a process of transformation and change as cities increasingly determine the economic, political, and environmental present and future. The "urban question" has been raised throughout history, why do cities matter? Cities were conceptualized as drivers of economic growth and are now being positioned as drivers of environmental sustainability creating a tension about how cities develop. This course asks: What role do cities play? Is perennial growth desirable? At what cost in terms of the environment and inequality?