Urban Consumption, Leisure and Culture

Advertising 490

What is distinct about consumption in urban areas? Can cities themselves be “consumed?” In what ways do leisure activities and consumption activities coincide? How are these produced and consumed by, and become part of, urban culture?

This course offers theoretical, conceptual and empirical treatments to help define and investigate “urban consumption.”  Drawing upon the insights of urban sociology, the course will focus on topics such as: contested urban spaces; the city as market/place/landscape for leisure; gentrification; themed environments; urban development/renewal through mallification; local urban culture; global cities-local spaces.

Students are expected to develop their own topics for a term project.