Urban Geography Sarah Witham Bednarz Texas A&M University

Disclaimers… I am a professor… I do not know anything about the test… Urban geography is NOT a major part of my course in Human Geography…

Approach… Review key concepts and understandings Discuss three articles and how to use them with students Explore field work students can use to learn urban geography in context

Definitions of urbanism… Perceptions of cities Positive? Negative? Cities as points in space Cities as places with internal structures

Origin and Evolution of Cities Understanding why some settlements grow into cities and others disappear… Site Situation

Models of Urban Land Use Developed Cities Third World Cities Cities in the Future

Models in Urban Geography Burgess’s Concentric Zone Model Hoyt’s Sector Model Multiple Nuclei Model Vance’s Urban Realms Model White’s Model

Built Environment & Social Space Humanistic vs Political Economy Perspectives Political Organization Urban managerialism and actors in the production of the built environment Who are the players? Post Modern Perspectives

Urban Growth and Migration Factors of Change Economic forces Technology Demography Politics Society Culture Environment Globalization

Processes of Urban Change TriggersProcesses Demographic & Social Change Locally & historically contingent factors Reurbanization Environmental Change Exurbanization Technological Change Suburbanization Economic ChangeUrbanization Cultural ChangeExo-urbanization Political ChangePeripheral urbanization GLOBALIZATION

Mega Cities Giant cities Where and why there? Trends in growth Functions

First World vs Third World Compare Contrast Latin America South Asia Middle East North Africa Southeast Asia Sub Saharan Africa

Urban Land Use & Field Work Land Use: Street frontage survey Urban Transportation: Public transport survey Analyzing the Local Mall Traffic Flow Survey Urban Sleuthing: Change over time