GEOG 241 - URBAN GEOGRAPHY Fall 2013
MWF 10:50-11:50 a.m.
David A. Lanegran, c-104
lanegran@macalester.edu
Office Hrs: W&F 8:00-9:30 a.m., and by appt. Phone: 651-696-6504
Syllabus
Urban Geography is a course for those who love to explore cities, so be prepared to have fun. It is
divided into several parts. After an overview of general principles, the second and third parts will
review the evolution of the North American metro system from its roots in Europe and North Africa
to the present. A sub-theme in this section will be the emergence of New Orleans, St Louis and
Chicago. We will also make extensive use of the Twin Cities as a case study of the processes. The
fourth part takes up the topic of center-hinterland relationships in a more abstract way. In the fifth
part we examine the internal spatial structure of cities. Finally, the sixth and seventh parts take up
the political and economic aspects of the present urban landscape. The eighth part explores the
interface between urbanization and the physical environment. Again, we will focus on the Twin
Cities. We will focus on the environmental impact of urbanization with a discussion flood plains
and issues of urban runoff and the case of Phoenix. In the ninth and last part we will delve into the
essence of planning and managing the modern urban landscape. This year we will take part in the
search for my replacement. Therefore we will have three guest lectures by finalists for the position.
Because I cannot predict who the candidates will be I have not attempted to program them into our
syllabus. We will just take them as they come.
If all goes well we will have a special guest George Latimer. Mayor Latimer is the Emeritus
Professor Urban Studies of Macalester College. He was also the Mayor of St Paul from 1976-1990.
After his mayoral tenure, he served as dean of Hamline University’s Law School from 1990 to 1993
and as a special adviser to Henry Cisneros, President Bill Clinton’s Housing and Urban Development
Secretary, from 1993 to 1995. From January 1996 to January 1998, Latimer was CEO of the National
Equity Fund, which manages approximately 27,000 housing units in 35 cities and provides
affordable housing for working people through use of the Low Income Tax Credit. He is a Founding
Member of the Board of Directors of Preserving of Affordable Housing, a national Housing
Corporation based in Boston. Latimer served on the Kennedy School of Government Executive
Session on Policy at Harvard University and as Regent of the University of Minnesota Twin Cities.
He was the Distinguished Visiting Professor of Urban Studies at Macalester from 1996 to 2006.
A significant portion of your time and 50% of your grade will be devoted to field assignments that
are designed to make you skilled field observers. The assignment is focused on your exploration of
the urban area of the Twin Cities. I firmly believe the best way to learn about cities and urban
geography is to spend a great deal of time observing the cityscape and talking to people. The
readings provide us overviews, models, and interpretations, but the real geography is done by you as
you observe and interpret the landscape.
Several readings (listed below) are on reserve in the library and posted on the course Moodle. Be
sure to allow yourself enough time to read the assignments. I ask you to read broadly for this class so
you can develop an appreciation for the wealth of insights and applications of urban geography. My
goal is for you all to master the deep underlying structure of urban geography. Take general notes on
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the readings and know the author's purpose for writing, the main arguments and supporting evidence;
record your reactions. You will develop a detailed knowledge of places and events as the course
unfolds. For me Geography is very much a “show me” discipline. If it can't be mapped or seen in the
landscape I am very "skeptical." Additional readings may be assigned from time to time. We focus
on the development of the Twin Cities for several reasons. The most important reason is the obvious
one - we are here!
Class participation is expected. Tests will cover both readings and lectures and will consist of several
questions of the "short essay answer variety." Make-up tests are possible, but only for excused
absences.
Academic Misconduct:
Plagiarism and cheating are both academic crimes. Never turn in work that is not your own or cheat
on one of the tests. If you are caught it may result in failing the course or even suspension from the
college. Please see me if you have questions about what constitutes plagiarism. Anyone caught
cheating on the exam will be reported to the Provost along established procedures.
I am committed to providing assistance to help you be successful in this course. Accommodations
are available for students with documented disabilities. Contact the Associate Dean of Students Lisa
Landreman at 696- 6220 to make an appointment. Students are encouraged to discuss any learning
needs or accommodations with me as soon as possible. Additional information regarding the
accommodations process for students with disabilities can be found at
:www.macalester.edu/studentaffairs/disabilityservices/"
Grades based on the following: Three exams - 50%; Field project - 50%
Required Text: Kaplan, Wheeler and Holloway Urban Geography
Reserve Readings:
Aronovici, Carol “Housing Conditions in the City of St Paul: Report to the Housing Commission”
ca 1917
Borchert, John America's Northern Heartland selected chapters
Cronin, William Nature’s Metropolis: Chicago and the Great West
Gober, Pat et.al.. Water Planning under Climatic Uncertainty
Hurley, Andrew Common Fields: An Environmental History of ST Louis
Iseminger, William “Culture and Environment in the American Bottom- The Rise and Fall of
Cahokia Mounds” Common Fields; An Environmental history of ST Louis ed. Andrew
Hurley
Koval et al. The New Chicago chapters ,6,7,8,9, 12, 16,18,22 NC
Lanegran “Competing Hinterlands :St. Paul, Madison, and the landscape of Burnett County,
Wisconsin”
Lanegran Minnesota on the Map selected chapters
Lanegran St. Anthony Park entire book
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Lanegran “Swedes in the Twin Cities” in Swedes in Minnesota By Anderson and Blanck
Lanegran St Paul Experiment; Initiatives of the Latimer Administration selected chapters
Lanegran/Sandeen The Lake District of Minneapolis entire book
Lanegran/Young Grand Avenue: Renaissance of an Urban Street
Le Gates, Richard and Frederic Stout The City Reader Selected chapters.
Mahoney “Urban History in Regional Context: Rivertowns on the Upper Mississippi” The Journal
of American History 72(1985) 318-339
Martin/Lanegran Where We Live
Oberle and Arreola “Resurgent Mexican Phoenix “Geographical Review 98(2008) pp. 171-196
Pacione “Proprietary Residential Communities in the United States.”
Sandeen, Ernest St Paul's Historic Summit Avenue
Urban Geography Field Seminar Urbanization of St. Croix Basin
Wilson, Beck and Bailey, “Neoliberal-Parasitic Economies and Space Building: Chicago’s
Southwest Side” Annals of AAG 99(2009) pp 604-629
LECTURE OUTLINE
09/3/14
I.
Introduction
A. Review class outline and field assignment (Field assignment – DUE DEC 6)
B. Analytical Concepts
Extra Credit: Write a paragraph on your favorite urban place and one on your least favorite places.
Readings - Text, Chapter 1; Reserve Reading: Sandeen, Summit Avenue (for field work)
09/5/14
II.
The European Foundation of North American Urbanization
A. Egyptian and Greek Cities
Readings - Text, Chapter 2
09/8/14 &09/9/14
B. Rise of Commercial and Industrial Cites in Northwestern Europe
09/10/14 & 09/12/14
III.
Epochs of US Urbanization
A.
AmerIndian Cities Cahokia
B
Basic Principles of the Borchert model
C.
Epochs
1. Sail and Wagon Epoch
Reading- Text chapter 3, pp58-69; Iseminger, William, “Culture and Environment in the American
Bottom- The Rise and Fall of Cahokia Mounds” Common Fields
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09/15/14
2. Steamboat & Iron Horse Epoch
Readings - Minnesota on the Map Chapters 7 & 9; Mahoney “Urban History in Regional Context:
Rivertowns on the Upper Mississippi”,
09/17/14
3. Railroad Epoch
Chicago vs. St Louis
Readings- Cronin Chapter 6 “Gateway City”
09/19/14 & 09/22/14
4.Air Auto Epoch
Global system
Reading- Text chapters 4 & 5,
9/24/14 & 9/26/14
A
Evolution of the Twin Cities
1. Pre-contact Landscape
2. Koposia
Reading – Reserve: Borchert, America's Northern Heartland, entire book by 10/10/14
9/29/ 12
3. Steamboat and RR epochs
4. Types of towns in Minnesota and
Reading - Reserve: Lanegran & Sandeen, The Lake District; Lanegran St Anthony Park; Lanegran
Minnesota on the Map Chapters 6 & 8.
10/1/14
10/03/14
10/06/14
10/8/14
5 Twin Cities development
EXAM ONE
6 Emergence of Metro Region
A Suburbanization
B. Deindustrialization
10/1014 No Class International round table
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10/13/14
IV.
Theories and Notions about the Arrangement of Cities in Space and Urbanization
Processes
A.
Generalizations on Center and Hinterland Relationships
B.
Central Place Theory
C.
Uses of Central Place Theory
Reading- Text pp.69-81
10/15/14 V
A.
Internal Spatial Structure of Cities - Cities as home
Non-industrial Cities
1. General Principles
2. The Case of Ibadan
10/17/14 No Class
10/20/14 & 10/22/14
B.
Industrial Cities
1. Social Geography of Cities: Classic Models
2. Geography of Housing – overview
Reading- Text Chapters 8& 9
10/24/14 Fall Break
10/27/14
3. Housing for low income households.
Readings: Koval et al. chs 18 & 22 Penneck & Stanback “The Affordable Housing Crisis in the
Chicago Region”, Bennett “Transforming Public Housing” Plans for Mount Airy; Housing
Conditions in St Paul http://reflections.mndigital.org/cdm/ref/collection/p15160coll11/id/60
Aronovici “Housing Conditions in the City of St Paul: Report to the Housing Commission” ca 1917
10/29/14
4. Extensions of urban ecological models
5. LA model and Post modern cities
6. Cities with negative change rates e.g. Detroit & St Louis
Readings: Michael Dear “The Los Angeles School of Urbanism” the Urban Reader pp 170-175
10/31/14
7. Residential Patterns of Twin Cities
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Reading - Reserve: Martin/Lanegran, Where We Live; Lanegran, St. Anthony Park & the Lake
District of Minneapolis
11/03 /14
EXAM TWO
11/05/14
Candidate 1 or
8. Concepts of Neighborhood - Lanegran’s Model
11/7/14
9. Ethnic and Racial Based Neighborhoods
Readings – Text, Chapters 10 and 11
Reserve: Lanegran, “Swedes in the TC; Oberle and Arreola Resurgent Mexican Phoenix;
Wilson, Beck and Bailey, “Neoliberal-Parasitic Economies and Space Building: Chicago’s
Southwest Side’, James Allen and Eugene Turner “Ethnic Residential Concentrations in
the United States Metropolitan Areas”;
NC 6 Bennett Race Relations Chicago Style: Past, Present and Future” NC 7 Koval &
Fidel Chicago; the Immigrant Capital of the Heartland ; NC 8 Paral “Latinos of the New
Chicago” NC 9 Erdmans “New Chicago Polina: Urban and Suburban’ NC12. Kim “the
Korean Presence in Chicago”, NC 16 Bennett “The Rebirth of Bronzeville: Contested Space
and Contrasting Visions”
N.B. You will be assigned one or two of the reserve readings to review and report on to the
rest of the class
11/10/14,
Candidate 2
11/12/14
Ethnic neighborhoods continued - Lake Street
.
11/14/14
Candidate 3
11/17 /14
candidate 3? Or
VI. Political Geography of Cities
Reading – Text, Chapter 12; ”Proprietary Residential Communities in the United States.; “Ladder of
citizen participation”
11/19/14, 11/21/14 & 11/24/14
VII.
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Economic geography of industrial Cities
1. Economic Landscape - CBD vs. Suburbs
2. Economic Localization
3. planning for the city center George Latimer guest discussant
4. Development and Redevelopment of Commercial Corridors in Core Cities
Reading - Reserve: St Paul Experiment chapters 10,11,12,14, 17, 26 & 28,
Reading – Text, Chapter 6, 7 & 9
Reserve: Young and Lanegran, Grand Avenue
N.B. You will be assigned one or two of the reserve readings to review and report on to the
rest of the class.
11/26/14 - 11/28/14
THANKSGIVING
12/1/14 VIII.
Urbanization and the physical landscape
Urbanization and watersheds
Urban climates
Readings: Urbanization of St. Croix Basin
Lanegran “Competing Hinterlands :St. Paul, Madison, and the landscape of Burnett County,
Wisconsin”
Gober et. al. “Water Planning Under Climatic Uncertainty in Phoenix”
12/03/14 & 12/05/14
IX.
Overview of the Urban Planning Process
A. Planning in the 20th Century
B
Post Modern Urban Planning
1. Gentrification
2. New Urbanism
Readings – Text, Chapter 13
12/814, & 12/10/14 FIELD ASSIGNMENT DUE ON December 8th
Discussion of Field Assignments
EXAM THREE (FINAL) – Tuesday 12/16/14 10:30 AM
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