SBP 210E - Urban Sociology

Course Objectives

This course aims to introduce students to social stratification in urban society and contemporary urban sociology, as well as the development of the urban sociology field. It also aims to develop students' research and writing skills.

Course Description

The course consists of two parts. Part I covers categories of social stratification including class, skills, income, gender, race and ethnicity, and relates social stratification with spatial segregation in urban space. Part II covers selected topics in contemporary urban sociology including social space and planning, social exclusion and urban ecological destruction. Part III visits the development of the field, by dealing with European-centered theories about the formation of urban-industrial society in the 19th century, American-centered theories about racial-ethnic and class conflict in the 20th century, and theories about the Third World city in mid-20th century. Methods such as lectures, analysing academic articles, research assignments, and class activities in which students compare their research findings are used in the course.