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If Paris was a woman between the two World Wars, what is New York? A cross-dressing, chain-smoking hooker? A newly minted MBA looking to make a killing? What about Tokyo? Or Dubai? This course examines the myths, meanings and social conditions of life in cities populated by professionals, homeless people, families, hip hop fans, and many others. Taking a comparative anthropological perspective, we look at the political and economic relationships that constitute modern and postmodern cities and examine the historical roots of those relationships. We consider important dynamics of security, use of space, and the racial formations that constitute “inner” and “edge” cities in the new millennium. As sites of diversity, immigration, and social and economic stratification, cities offer important opportunities for anthropologists to explore the meaning of difference in human social and economic life. Since the best way to understand cultural anthropology is by practicing it, readings include a strong methodological focus and course assignments ask you to conduct your own participant-observation research. Over the course of the semester you will apply concepts and theories from our readings to an actual urban environment of your choosing.
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URBAN ANTHROPOLOGY
