GEOG 340: Urban Systems
Course Outline (F13N01)
Instructor:
Office:
Phone (local):
Email:
Office Hours:
Classroom:
Lectures:
Don Alexander
Bldg. 359, Room 215
(250) 753-3245, ex. 2261 (If you are out of the local calling area, you can dial 1-888-9202221, and then 2261).
don.alexander@viu.ca
Mondays and Wednesdays, 1:00 to 2:00 pm
Bldg. 370, Room 243
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 2:30 to 4:00 pm
Textbook (required): Knox, Paul L. and McCarthy, Linda. 2012. Urbanization: An Introduction to Urban
Geography [3rd ed.] (Upper Saddle River, NJ).
[Lectures and assignments will be on my web site: http:web.viu.ca/alexander2; there will be no Moodle or
Design 2 Learn component to this course.]
Course Focus and Course Objectives
An examination of urbanization processes with an emphasis on the evolution and diffusion of the North
American urban system; the theories and models developed to explain its patterns, functions and spatial
interactions, as well as the production and organization of the built environment and the motivations and
behaviours of the stakeholders involved in creating it.
By the end of the course, you will understand better




the historical evolution of cities
changing geographical ideas about urban development
specific trends in the 20th and early 21st centuries, and
challenges facing cities in the coming decades.
You will also have improved your writing, speaking, research and analytical skills, as well as your ability to
present material in a graphically appealing format.
To do well in the course, you should:



demonstrate a knowledge of key concepts of urban geography and urbanization, and be able to
apply them in a variety of contexts (as measured by the mid-term, major project, and final exam);
demonstrate a knowledge how geographical and technical-economic processes have affected
different cities in different ways (as measured by the mid-term, major project, and final exam);
demonstrate knowledge of emerging crucial urban issues (as measured by the major project and
final exam).
Structure of the Course
The course will involve lectures, occasional guest speakers and videos, class discussion and debates, and case
study analysis based primarily on North American examples. There will be one major assignment (see below)
plus a mid-term and a final exam.
Course Schedule (subject to change)
Date
Week 1
(Sept. 3 &
5)
Lecture Topics
Introduction to
the Course:
Urbanization
and Urban
Geography ;
History and
Definition of
Cities
Week 2
(Sept. 10 &
12)
Evolution of the
North American
Urban System
Week 3
(Sept. 17 &
19)
Post-war Urban
Development
Week 4
(Sept. 24 &
26)
The Urban
Development
Process
Week 5
(Oct. 1 & 3)
Neighbourhood
Change
Week 6
(Oct. 8 &
10)
The Politics of
Change: Urban
Governance
Week 7
(Oct. 15 &
17)
Urban Policy
and Planning
Week 8
(Oct. 22 &
24)
The Residential
Kaleidoscope
Week 9
(Oct. 29 &
Oct. 31)
Week 10
(Nov. 5 &
7)
The City as Text
Urban Life and
Urban Space
Discussion
Course Focus and Objectives
Discussion:

space, territoriality, distance, and place

different urban geographical approaches

urban change factors – capitalism and
globalization

what is a city and how did urban places
evolve?
Discussion:

phases in North American urban development

models of urban growth

role of transportation factors
Discussion:

reasons for and characteristics of post-war
urban sprawl

impacts of deindustrialization

role of communications technology
Discussion:

the political economy of urban development

changes in the real estate industry

key city makers/ stakeholders
Discussion:

why neighbourhoods change for better or
worse

public housing policy in North America

locational decisions and their impact
Discussion:

evolution of urban governance

impact of neoliberalism and fiscal
retrenchment

models of urban politics
Discussion:

evolution and role of urban planning,
including in relation to sustainability

Review for the mid-term
Discussion:

social distance, physical distance, and
segregation

understanding urban social ecology

what messages does the city convey?

key architectural trends and their relationship
to socio-economic changes
Discussion:

how people shape spaces and spaces shape
people

role of mental maps

urbanism as a way of life
Readings/Assignments

Introduction and
Chapters 1 & 2

Possible film

Chapter 3

Chapter 4 [Note: we
will skip Chapters 57]

Chapter 8


Chapter 9
Outline for major
project due on 10/3

Chapter 10


Chapter 11
Mid-term exam

Chapter 12

Chapter 13


Chapter 14
presentations
Week 11
(Nov. 12 &
14)
Week 12
(Nov. 19 &
21)
Week 13
(Nov. 26 &
28)
Problems of
Cities: Past,
Present and
Future
Urbanization in
Developing
Countries
Wrap-up and
Review


poverty, crime, and homelessness
role of cities in the global ecological crisis and
possible sustainability solutions
Discussion

urbanization trends, projections in the
developing world and reasons for

urban forms and land uses

urban social movements
Discussion:

cities – humanity’s greatest problem and
greatest resource


Chapter 15
presentations


If time permits, we
may re-visit Chapters
5-7
Major project due

Epilogue
Final Exam
(Date TBA)
Course Website:
The course website will not be on Moodle or Desire to Learn. The website (see URL above) will contain
lecture notes, assignment instructions, and other relevant material.
Evaluation:
Attendance and Participation
Mid-Term Exam
Case Study Assignment
15% (including 5% for leading at least one discussion)
25%
35% (including 5% for outline and 5% for in-class
presentation on)
Final Exam
25%
Attendance and Participation:
You are expected to show up in class on time and to participate in class discussions. This takes some
degree of preparation to do effectively, including doing the week's readings before class, reflecting on
the readings, and maybe even finding new ones that pertain to the topics being discussed that week. You
will also be asked to prepare and lead at least one in-class discussion on one of the issues in a chapter.
This will involve making sure you understand the material yourself, giving a very brief overview of it in
class, and offering two or three questions for discussion to provoke critical thinking of the topic. Your
discussion will be evaluated based on the quality of your initial summary, how well-formulated your
questions are, the quality of the subsequent discussion, and how well you facilitate it. If you are to be
away, please inform me beforehand if possible; a doctor’s note is required for prolonged absences.
In class discussions, I ask that you respect the ideas, thoughts, and opinions of others, including
mine. Respect does not necessarily imply acceptance. I have my own biases, but I do not expect you to
share them. In fact, independence of thought and critical thinking will contribute to you getting a high
mark in the course. Discussions are intended to provoke discussion and debate, and you should show a
readiness and willingness to share and support your ideas, feelings, and thoughts on a wide range of
issues.
Laptop/Phone Policy:
Laptops and phones will be allowed in class. However, if they start to be used for doing messaging,
Facebook, surfing the net (other than to get information to support class topics), their use will be
stopped. Please turn off your cell phones or put them on vibrate when you enter class. If you absolutely
have to take a call during class, please leave and re-enter the class as unobtrusively as possible. Cell
phones and laptops are not permitted during exams.
Participation Assessment Criteria:
1.
Attendance
Always
mostly
2.
Amount of Contribution to Class
3.
Cognitive Element (knowledge, logic, creativity, question-asking)
Outstanding
fair share
Logical, thorough
Imaginative
4.
little or none
orderly, fairly thorough
competent
disjointed, cursory
unimaginative
Expressive Element (clarity, fluency, concision)
Brief, clear, interesting
5.
never
wordy, confused, tedious
Affective Element (enthusiasm, co-operation)
Enthusiastic, sharing
lacklustre, domineering
Major Assignment
The major assignment will be worth 35%, with 5% for an outline due in Week 5 and another 5% for
presenting an overview of your findings towards the end of the semester. There will be two options. The
first involves selecting a city of your choice and examining the various factors that have made it what it is
today. The second is to do an e-portfolio option following the cues provided in the Review Activities
section at the end of each chapter. More detailed instructions will be shortcoming shortly. NOTE:
Whenever submitting written work, always parenthetically reference your sources, preferably using either
APA style or University of Chicago [see http://libguides.viu.ca/citing]. Also: print all assignments doublesided or use scrap paper.
Late Assignments
ONLY authorized medical reasons (i.e., a doctor's note) or immediate family tragedy will be accepted as
reasonable cause for missing an exam or handing in an assignment late. NO substitute assignments or
exams will be accepted in this course, nor will plagiarism be tolerated. For VIU’s policy on academic
integrity, see www.viu.ca/policies/policy.asp?rdPolicyNumber=99.01. Dissatisfaction with any grade received
on an exam or an assignment must be lodged with me within 48 hours of receiving it.
NOTE: Students with documented disabilities requiring academic and/or exam accommodation should inform me and contact
Disability Services, Building 200, or call 740-6446.
In the event of a "snowstorm" or other extreme weather event, I will try to send out an e-mail if class is cancelled, but always
check the VIU homepage for a closure notice. The information there takes priority.
Grading Scheme
A+
90-100%
Outstanding performance
A
85-89%
First-class performance
A-
80-84%
Excellent performance
B+
76-79%
Very good performance
B
72-75%
Good performance
B-
68-71%
Average performance
C+
64-67%
Fair performance
C
60-63%
Below average performance
C-
55-59%
Passing performance
D
50-54%
Marginal performance
F
Below 50%
Failing performance