POL443H1F L0101

Topics in Comparative Politics II

Cities, Law and Politics

Themes

The 21st century has been hailed the “century of the city”. The figures behind this label are mind boggling, considering that the world’s urban population has increased nearly thirtyfold since the early 1900s. This shift marks an unprecedented transformation of the organization of society, both spatially and geopolitically. This seminar offers an opportunity for students to engage with recent legal and social science scholarship concerning this global trend. Among the issues covered are the city as a legal and a constitutional concept; the constitutional law and politics of city status in the so-called “Global North” as well as in the so-called “Global South”; the “right to the city” and its interpretations; self-empowerment attempts by cities (e.g. human rights cities, sanctuary cities, urban citizenship, participatory democracy); city-networks and the transnational order; urban politics; and the law and politics of the urban-rural divide. Evaluation will be based on participation, short comment papers, and a final essay.

Prerequisite: 2.0 credits in POL/ JPA/ JPF/ JPI/ JPR/ JPS/ JRA courses