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Urban Society and Social Change
Why Urban Society and Social Change?
Many students are drawn to Urban Studies by their desire to understand and address the unique problems confronting cities today. This concentration focuses on issues in contemporary urban society, and on the tools and concepts that can bring about change to improve urban life. Courses focus on a diverse range of issues, from environmental degradation to racial and class inequality. Students also learn how community action, urban planning and design, and organizations in nonprofit, for-profit, and government sectors address these challenges.
This concentration prepares students to enter graduate programs concerned with urban affairs, community service, and public policy, and to work with local governmental agencies and for-profit and nonprofit organizations engaged in community service and development.
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 the Urban Society and Social Change concentration should consider applying for a Haas Center Summer Fellowship, which provides funding for a summer spent working for a non-profit or government organization.
Those interested in policy should also consider applying for a summer placement with Stanford in Government, or a quarter at Stanford in Washington. Consult your Urban Studies advisor to determine if courses or internships taken in Washington can fulfill Urban Studies course requirements or the internship requirement.
Required Course
The following course is required for the Urban Society and Social Change concentration:
POLISCI 133. Ethics and Politics of Public Service (given in Winter)
Additional Courses
The following courses may be counted toward the Urban Society and Social Change concentration. Please consult with your advisor to select a program of courses that suits your intellectual and personal goals.
AUTUMN COURSES:
| ANTHRO | 106A | Gang Colors: The Racialization of Violence and the American City (CSRE 106A) |
| CEE | 100 | Managing Sustainable Building Projects |
| CEE | 124 | Sustainable Development Studio |
| CEE | 129 | Climate Change Adaptation for Seaports: Engineering and Policy for a Sustainable Future (CEE 229) |
| CEE | 141A | Infrastructure Project Development (CEE 241A) |
| EARTHSYS | 105 | Food and Community: New Visions for a Sustainable Future (EESS 105) |
| ENGR | 150 | Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship (ENGR 250) |
| MS&E | 180 | Organizations: Theory and Management |
| SOC | 140 | Introduction to Social Stratification (SOC 240) |
| SOC | 164 | Immigration and the Changing United States (CHICANST 164, CSRE 164, SOC 264) |
| URBANST | 115 | Urban Sustainability: Long-Term Archaeological Perspectives (CLASSGEN 123, CLASSGEN 223) |
| URBANST | 131 | Social Innovation and the Social Entrepreneur |
| URBANST | 133 | Social Entrepreneurship Collaboratory |
| URBANST | 165 | Sustainable Urban and Regional Transportation Planning |
WINTER COURSES:
| CEE | 64 | Air Pollution and Global Warming: History, Science, and Solutions (CEE 263D) |
| CEE | 124 | Sustainable Development Studio |
| CEE | 129 | Climate Change Adaptation for Seaports: Engineering and Policy for a Sustainable Future (CEE 229) |
| CEE | 142A | Negotiating Sustainable Development (CEE 242A, EARTHSYS 142A, EARTHSYS 242A) |
| CEE | 171 | Environmental Planning Methods |
| CEE | 172 | Air Quality Management |
| ECON | 150 | Economic Policy Analysis (PUBLPOL 104, PUBLPOL 204) |
| ECON | 155 | Environmental Economics and Policy |
| ENGR | 150 | Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship (ENGR 250) |
| HUMBIO | 122S | Social Class, Race, Ethnicity, and Health |
| HUMBIO | 128 | Community Health Psychology (PSYCH 101) |
| OSPCPTWN | 32 | Learning, Development, and Social Change: Service Learning in the Contemporary South African Contex- |
| POLISCI | 133 | Ethics and Politics of Public Service (CSRE 178, ETHICSOC 133, HUMBIO 178, PHIL 175A, PHIL 275A, PUBLPOL 103D, URBANST 122) |
| URBANST | 126 | Spirituality and Nonviolent Urban and Social Transformation (RELIGST 162) |
| URBANST | 132 | Concepts and Analytic Skills for the Social Sector |
| URBANST | 160 | Environmental Policy and the City in U.S. History |
| URBANST | 166 | East Palo Alto: Reading Urban Change |
SPRING COURSES:
| ASNAMST | 146S | Asian American Culture and Community (AMSTUD 146, COMPLIT 146, CSRE 146S) |
| CEE | 124 | Sustainable Development Studio |
| CEE | 129 | Climate Change Adaptation for Seaports: Engineering and Policy for a Sustainable Future (CEE 229) |
| CEE | 131A | Professional Practice: Mixed-Use Design in an Urban Setting |
| EARTHSYS | 49N | Multi-Disciplinary Perspectives on a Large Urban Estuary: San Francisco Bay (EESS 49N) |
| EARTHSYS | 105 | Food and Community: New Visions for a Sustainable Future (EESS 105) |
| EARTHSYS | 181 | Concepts of Urban Agriculture (EARTHSYS 281, EESS 181, EESS 281) |
| ENGR | 150 | Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship (ENGR 250) |
| HISTORY | 260 | California's Minority-Majority Cities (CSRE 260, HISTORY 360) |
| MS&E | 180 | Organizations: Theory and Management |
| OSPCPTWN | 22 | Preparation for Community-Based Research in Community Health and Development |
| OSPCPTWN | 32 | Learning, Development, and Social Change: Service Learning in the Contemporary South African Contex- |
| PUBLPOL | 135 | Regional Politics and Decision Making in Silicon Valley |
| PUBLPOL | 183 | Philanthropy and Social Innovation |
| SOC | 118 | Social Movements and Collective Action (SOC 218) |
| SOC | 135 | Poverty, Inequality, and Social Policy in the United States (SOC 235) |
| SOC | 145 | Race and Ethnic Relations (SOC 245) |
| SOC | 160 | Formal Organizations (SOC 260) |
| SOC | 161 | The Social Science of Entrepreneurship (SOC 261) |
| URBANST | 123 | Approaching Research and the Community |
| URBANST | 133 | Social Entrepreneurship Collaboratory |
| URBANST | 137 | Innovations in Microcredit and Development Finance |
| URBANST | 164 | Sustainable Cities |