ECON 201T(S) Cities (Same as Environmental Studies 207T)

In some ways all cities are alike; in some ways every one is different. Economics can help one understand both the common features and the differences. Topics may include the following: Examples of the diversity of economic bases that generate employment, including heavy and light industry, "high tech," defense, tourism and amenities, government, and finance; racial and class segregation, land markets and transportation links, and how they shape patterns of land use, rents, density, building height, and household income; dependence and competition between downtowns and suburbs; "edge cities;" problems of declining small cities and towns and the "WalMart Problem." Several of the short papers that each student writes will apply the principles of the course to a particular city of his/her choice.
Each student will meet with the instructor and one other student on a weekly basis. Students will be expected to prepare a 7-page paper every other week and act as a discussant/critiquer for the other student's paper on the "off" weeks. The tutorial will meet a few times as a whole.
Students' grades will be based on their contributions to the tutorial and the quality of their papers.
Note: This course complements Environmental Studies 204: Regions of America. Environmental Studies 204 differs in being about large regions rather than cities, in introducing the discipline of geography, and in having no prerequisite.
Prerequisite: Economics 101.

Hour: R. BOLTON