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Cities in Comparative and Historical Perspective
Why Comparative and Historical Perspective?
Approximately half of the world’s population now lives in cities, and the proportion grows greater every day. Urban issues cannot be understood in the context of a single nation or a single moment in time. This concentration draws on disciplinary approaches including anthropology, archaeology, art history, geography, and history to help students understand how cities have developed and how they relate to each other today. By placing urban issues in perspective, students improve their comprehension of the United States as well as the world, and of the present as well as the past.
Advising
Students in this concentration may select as their advisor either
Michael Kahan (email) (read more)
Or Doug McAdam (email ) (read more)
Special Programs and Opportunities
Students in this concentration are encouraged to study off campus, and preferably overseas, for at least one quarter. Many courses offered through the Overseas Studies Program can be counted toward the concentration. Similarly, internships offered at many of Stanford’s overseas locations can be used to fulfill the Urban Studies internship requirement. Students should also consider enrolling in one of the Stanford Overseas Seminars, intensive courses taught in September in locations which do not have overseas campuses.
Required Course
| CLASSART | 112 | Ancient Urbanism (CLASSART 212) (given in Autumn) |
Additional Courses
The following courses may be counted toward the cities in comparative and historical perspective concentration. Please consult with your advisor to select a program of courses that suits your intellectual and personal goals.
AUTUMN COURSES:
| ARTHIST | 142 | Architecture Since 1900 (ARTHIST 342) | |
| CLASSART | 112 | Ancient Urbanism (CLASSART 212) | |
| HISTORY | 106A | Global Human Geography: Asia and Africa | |
| OSPBEIJ | 10 | Beijing Past and Present | |
| OSPBER | 13 | Jewish and Muslim Berlin | |
| OSPBER | 30 | Berlin vor Ort: A Field Trip Module | |
| OSPBER | 60 | Cityscape as History: Architecture and Urban Design in Berlin | |
| OSPFLOR | 115Y | The Duomo and Palazzo della Signoria: Symbols of a Civilization | |
| OSPMADRD | 60 | Integration into Spanish Society: Service Learning and Professional Opportunities | |
| POLISCI | 110C | America and the World Economy (INTNLREL 110C, POLISCI 110X) | |
| URBANST | 115 | Urban Sustainability: Long-Term Archaeological Perspectives (CLASSGEN 123, CLASSGEN 223) |
WINTER COURSES:
| CLASSHIS | 101 | The Greeks |
| HISTORY | 53S | Race Riots and Rebellions in 20th Century Urban America |
| HISTORY | 106B | Global Human Geography: Europe and Americas |
| OSPBER | 30 | Berlin vor Ort: A Field Trip Module |
| OSPCPTWN | 11 | Education & Schooling in Post-Apartheid South Africa |
| OSPCPTWN | 16 | South Africa Sites of Memory |
| OSPCPTWN | 24A | Targeted Research Project in Community Health and Development |
| OSPCPTWN | 43 | Public and Community Health in Sub-Saharan Africa |
| OSPCPTWN | 44 | Negotiating Home, Citizenship and the South African City |
| OSPMADRD | 60 | Integration into Spanish Society: Service Learning and Professional Opportunities |
| OSPOXFRD | 70 | The History of London |
| URBANST | 160 | Environmental Policy and the City in U.S. History |
| URBANST | 166 | East Palo Alto: Reading Urban Change |
SPRING COURSES:
| ANTHRO | 104 | Urban Life and Cultural Imagination in South Asia |
| ARTHIST | 107A | St. Petersburg, a Cultural Biography: Architecture, Urban Planning, the Arts (REES 207A) |
| ARTHIST | 143A | American Architecture (ARTHIST 343A) |
| CEE | 32Q | Place: Making Space Now (ARTHIST 232Q) |
| CLASSHIS | 60 | The Romans |
| HISTORY | 110C | Introduction to Modern Europe |
| HISTORY | 150C | The United States in the Twentieth Century (AMSTUD 150C) |
| HISTORY | 260 | California's Minority-Majority Cities (CSRE 260, HISTORY 360) |
| HISTORY | 287D | Tel Aviv: Site, Symbol, City (HISTORY 387D, JEWISHST 287D, JEWISHST 387D) |
| ME | 120 | History and Philosophy of Design |
| OSPBEIJ | 32 | Site, Memory, History: Beijing as Place |
| OSPBER | 30 | Berlin vor Ort: A Field Trip Module |
| OSPCPTWN | 17 | Western Cape Sites of Memory |
| OSPCPTWN | 22 | Preparation for Community-Based Research in Community Health and Development |
| OSPCPTWN | 24B | Targeted Research Project in Community Health and Development |
| OSPCPTWN | 43 | Public and Community Health in Sub-Saharan Africa |
| OSPCPTWN | 68 | Cities in the 21st Century: Urbanization, Globalization and Security |
| OSPFLOR | 58 | Space as History: Urban Change and Social Vision in Florence 1059 to the Present |
| OSPFLOR | 75 | Florence in the Renaissance |
| OSPMADRD | 60 | Integration into Spanish Society: Service Learning and Professional Opportunities |
| OSPPARIS | 92 | Building Paris: Its History, Architecture, and Urban Design |
| OSPSANTG | 71 | Santiago: Urban Planning, Public Policy, and the Built Environment |
| URBANST | 161 | U.S. Urban History since 1920 |