Course Info

Browse the Course Catalog Course Search

Course Info for URST - 221 - 01, Spring 2026
Class number: 2963 Title: City and Society Department: Urban Studies
Career: Undergraduate Component: Lecture Session: Regular
Instructor's Permission Required: No Grading Basis: Regular Units: 1.00
Enrollment limited to 25 Current enrollment: 19 Available seats: 6
Start date: Tuesday, January 20, 2026 End date: Friday, May 8, 2026 Mode of Instruction: In Person
Schedule: TR: 10:50AM-12:05PM, SH - N217 Instructor(s): Hussain, Mushahid
Prerequisite(s): Prerequisite: Urban Studies 101 or permission of instructor.
Distribution Requirement: Meets Social Sciences and Global Requirements
Course Description:
This course examines the city as a central object of inquiry in classical and contemporary social thought. How did the city come to be considered the cradle of civilizations, cultures, and imagined communities? Why is the city often at the center of narratives about the transition to modernity? What is the relationship between capitalist development, global trade networks, and urban life? How does the city figure in addressing the biggest issues facing human societies today – from living with climate change, migration, and rural-urban inequalities to the role of urban environments in generating both alienation and social solidarity? The course guides students towards developing a historical, comparative, and theoretically grounded perspective on the city in contemporary social life.