Singapore University of Social Sciences

Urban Sociology

Urban Sociology (SOC265)

Synopsis

Urban Sociology studies the significance of cities in the social, economic, and political lives of contemporary societies. It introduces students to the discipline of urban sociology, to facilitate students’ learning on how to examine the city through the perspectives of various social theorists and urban scholars. In doing so, this class combines theoretical materials with students’ experiences in living in Singapore as one of Asia’s global cities. The challenge to conduct an urban sociology class in Singapore is that the existing theories on cities largely originated from Europe and the United States, while cities have geographically and culturally distinct features that render them unique. Therefore, students are expected to learn about the influences of those distinct features on urban life, to understand the impact of globally interlinked cities, to discover how social problems arise and how to identify the root causes in the urban context.

Level: 2
Credit Units: 5
Presentation Pattern: Every January

Topics

  • Studying the city: approaches; the city and social theory
  • Theoretical perspectives on the city: urbanism; urban ecology; postmodernism; comparative urbanism; southeast asian context
  • Urban political economy, consumption, and socio-spatial analysis
  • Urban diversity and global cities: globalisation and diversity; gendered spaces
  • Social Inequality and Urban Problems: housing and education; the shadow economy in southeast asian cities; urban social movements
  • Planning the urban environment: planning; urban utopia; the entrepreneurial city

Learning Outcome

  • Discuss cultural, economic, political, and social forces in urban development and human behavior
  • Recognise social problems in the city and their relationships with social structure and agency
  • Outline the role of social institutions in urban planning, visions, and realities
  • Compare and appraise different models of the city
  • Examine contemporary issues and interests in Southeast Asian cities
  • Analyze socio-cultural and political patterns through the urban fabric
  • Apply theories, knowledge and models to analyse real-world urban settings, spaces and planning
  • Develop critical research skills for a case analysis
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