Cities and neighborhoods are social and physical environments that ... through readings, films, discussions, and two fie
SYD 4411 “URBAN LIFE” MW 9:30-10:45 a.m. CPR 481, Spring 2017 Instructor: Maggie Kusenbach, Ph.D.
The main goal of the course “Urban Life” is to help advanced undergraduate students understand that (and how) place matters in social life. Cities and neighborhoods are social and physical environments that influence who we are, what goals we pursue, and which opportunities and barriers we encounter. Places shape social structures, cultures, communities, and identities. A good way to develop this understanding is through studying the origins and current development of Tampa. In small teams, students work on a semester-long project: a portrait of a Tampa Bay neighborhood of their choice, researched through observations, interviews, US Census data, and other secondary sources. We also explore Tampa’s history and current affairs through readings, films, discussions, and two fieldtrips, to Ybor City and the new Encore neighborhood near Downtown Tampa. The first fieldtrip includes a guided tour of the Ybor City Museum and reconstructions of cigar workers’ homes (“casitas”). Afterwards, we visit important Ybor City landmarks on foot, such as the buildings of the Cuban, Italian, and Spanish Mutual Aid Societies, the former Labor Union, Columbia restaurant, and José Marti Park, dedicated to the legendary fighter for Cuban independence. Few people know that this tiny piece of land on the corner of 13th Street and 8th Avenue has been owned by the Cuban government since the 1950s. Who would like to step on Cuban land in the middle of Tampa or watch a classmate role a cigar back at the museum? The course focuses on learning key concepts in urban sociology hands-on, through personal experiences of places and people that surround us in daily life.
