Urban Specialist and China Scholar

URSP 502 Global Economic Change and Geography

This course examines the global economy, its changing geographies, and its impact on cities and regions. We will consider the role of technological progress, industrial organization, and international institutions in shaping the locations of production and services. Topics include global economic trends, evolution of the industrial core and periphery, globalization of production systems, Global Cities, rise of knowledge-based and creative industries, and transnational economic integration.

This course will help students better understand contemporary economic issues in the context of globalization, in an active learning environment. As the world becomes more inter-connected, our daily life is increasingly and profoundly affected by global economic forces. At the end of the course, students will be able to:

  • Describe how economic globalization has come to be,
  • Explain how different societies organize their economic activities in space,
  • Understand location decision-making of industrial firms, and
  • Analyze the implications of global economic integration for cities and regions.

URSP 502 Syllabus (Spring 2007as HONR 398)