We are bombarded with images of global cities that
showcase towering buildings, high-class living, cosmopolitan cultures, and night
life. We will take a deeper dive into understanding these
cities, beginning with exploring the glitzy global cities of Singapore, Dubai,
and Sydney. Also older and top ranking global cities, such as New York City, London, Paris, and Tokyo. We learn what distinguishes these
global cities from other cities such as what are typical known as megacities like Delhi and Mumbai. We will also explore the connections among contemporary patterns of global city formation as a product of globalization and urbanization. Yet to fully understand global cities, we will explore historical and current forms of imperialism, colonialism, and coloniality. We will also connect these global processes and structures to the pressing issues of global inequality, poverty, and
injustice in the post colonies of the Global South. We will end the semester centering the communities marginalized in the context of global city formation, with explicit focus on their humanity, agency, creativity, and how they leverage these to fight for the right to the city and the areas upon which ever-expanding urbanization projects encroach.
- Teacher: Sancha Medwinter