11.957 | January IAP 2007 | Graduate

Frameworks of Urban Governance

Course Description

Urban governance comprises the various forces, institutions, and movements that guide economic and physical development, the distribution of resources, social interactions, and other aspects of daily life in urban areas. This course examines governance from legal, political, social, and economic perspectives. In …
Urban governance comprises the various forces, institutions, and movements that guide economic and physical development, the distribution of resources, social interactions, and other aspects of daily life in urban areas. This course examines governance from legal, political, social, and economic perspectives. In addition, we will discuss how these structures constrain collective decision making about particular urban issues (immigration, education…). Assignments will be nightly readings and a short paper relating an urban issue to the frameworks outlined in the class.
Learning Resource Types
Written Assignments
Old City Hall in New York City from around 1830.
New York’s old city hall circa 1830, the seat of urban governance. (Image courtesy of the New York City Art Commission.)