World Cities: London, Paris, New York in the 21st Century

Following courses in previous semesters on London, Paris, and New York in the 19th and the 20th centuries (neither of which is a prerequisite for this course), we will look at the three “world cities” in the first quarter of the 21st century. How have these three cities managed to keep their places as the top three in global cities indices? What challenges do they face and how are they dealing with them? Topics will include how these cities have negotiated the transition from industrial to post-industrial economies, how they have dealt with issues of poverty and migration, gentrification, historic preservation, acute housing shortages, aging infrastructure, and the challenges posed by climate change, pandemics, and technological change. Not least, we will look at these cities’ architecture and urban design.
Continuing Education Units (CEU) : 0

You'll walk away with

• A toolkit for analyzing 21st century urban challenges
• Knowledge of art, architecture, politics, planning, and urban technology in London, Paris, and New York in the 21st century
• An understanding of how modern urban policies balance historic preservation with rapid technological change and modernization

Ideal for

• The curious and creative
• All members of the community—working, retired, and in-between