Over the past twenty years, many American cities have experienced comebacks but others have experienced sharp declines. Growing numbers of upper- income residents have relocated to some cities; downtowns have been transformed into lively arts and entertainment districts; and crime has fallen. Other cities have faced bankruptcy or near bankruptcy causing them to slash services. This course examines the causes and implications of these recent upswings and downturns in urban fortunes. The questions we consider include: How did cities achieve these transformations? Why were some cities much more successful than others? How has the revitalization of cities affected the urban poor? The course will also examine the impact of the recession on cities. How did the recession jeopardize recent gains in urban prosperity? How have cities coped with the fiscal strains presented by reduced tax revenues and limits on state and federal assistance?
The Junior Seminars are intense writing seminars which focus on the research area of the faculty member teaching the course. The seminars provide an opportunity for students to have direct intellectual interactions with faculty members while also giving the students an understanding for faculty research.
This junior seminar falls within the "International Relations" subfield, and can fulfill an upper-division requirement for the major
Subfield: American Politics
Political Science Majors of Junior and Senior status (must be 3rd or 4th year students with at least 60 units completed) with a minimum overall UC GPA of 3.3. Students must place themselves on the waitlist through TeleBEARS in Phase II. Priority may be given to students who have not yet taken a junior seminar. Selection and notification will occur in mid-January 2015.