Writing and Urban Life (at FAS)
HIS 4517
Subject & Catalog Number
Course Information
Description
In this seminar we will study representations of urban experience, and how the evolution of cities has been shaped by writing. Each week will pair literary and planning texts from the 1860s onward. We will discuss shared aspirations and tense relations among various urban dwellers, focusing on literature, urban planning, and everyday life. Topics include the impact of technology on cities as lived and imagined spaces; interfaces between literacy, orality, and visual cultures; intersections between fiction, poetry, and social history; porous boundaries between built and natural environments; relationships between modernity, writing, and urban planning. Focus will be placed on major cities where Romance languages are spoken, such as Paris, Rome, Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro, and Luanda.
Course Notes: Readings will be in translation, and discussions will be in English. There are no requirements for enrollment.
This course is offered by FAS as ROM-STD 135 and jointly listed with the GSD.
Class Notes
This course is offered by FAS as ROM STD 135. Please refer to the FAS course listing for classroom information.
Note that the GSD course listing is limited to five GSD students.
Not Available for Cross Registration
