Assignment
The Urban World (Palen 2015) Chaps. 1-3
City Lights (Phillips 2010) Chaps. 1-5
Reading Review Assignment: Your Reading Review Assignment has two parts, as explained below:
The historic evolution of cities can be linked to various technological innovations and theassociated socio-cultural systems that shaped the resultant urban places. What were the primary technological circumstances that shaped cities and urban life during the first and second urban revolutions? What were the associated morphological and social patterns associated with cities during these periods?
As you think about these questions, you may ask yourself "Who cares--what's the relevance of ancient/older cities to today's urban world?" Good question!
The reality is that today's cities have been shaped by their histories (and by extension, by the general history of urbanization). For cities that can trace their origins back to the earlier periods (e.g. European cities founded during the Roman Empire), their physical layout, even some of their buildings and infrastructure, were often constructed in an earlier period. Even cities that date to more recent times (e.g. most American cities)have often been shaped by the social structures/values and urban morphology that developed in earlier cities.
Assignment Part I: In a short essay answer the following question:
To what extent do the physical and social patterns associated with cities during the earlier periodsof urbanization still manifest themselves in contemporary cities such as Los Angeles - i.e. to what extent does the "palimpsest" of earlier urban eras (pre-modern and modern/industrial) still shape cities today? What are some of the pros and/or cons of these manifestations?
• Your essay should be approximately 500 words (no more than 2 pages); be coherent and concise
• Your essay must be "typed" using a conventional font (no smaller than 11) and format
• You must turn in a hard copy of your essay in class on the due date; email submissions will not be accepted; late papers will generally not be accepted
• Your essay is worth a possible 20points total and will be evaluated on both (1) its substantive content, organization, logic, etc. and (2) its grammar, style, editing, etc.
Questions Assignment:
Each of the exams this semester will include a combination of terms/concepts, short essay questions, and multiple choice questions. To insure that the exam questions reflect your perspectives on what are the most important materials covered in class lectures, discussions, and assigned readings, you are required to submit a total of three multiple choice questions.
Assignment Part II: Write three multiple choice questions:
Two of your multiple questions should focuson materials primarily from the assigned readings and one question should focuson material primarilyfrom the class lectures. Each question must include the correct answer.