The intersection of race, place and well-being remain strong in America. Communities of color continue to face the impacts of centuries of policies and practices that are organized around the fundamental belief that white people are more valuable than others. Questions of concentrated poverty and neighborhood revitalization have been debated unceasingly as the pendulum swings from ‘ government doing too much' to the 'government isn't doing enough', or from strategies to invest in the places where people of color live, to helping people move out of neighborhoods of high poverty. Inside it all, fundamental questions about what it means to be poor in America and who is or isn't deserving of our aid remain central questions. The course will engage students in critical thinking about urban communities, including the intended and unintended consequences of various polices and strategies. The course seeks to develop with students an action-oriented understanding rather than simply admiring the problem. We will explore the current state of urban neighborhoods and communities in the United States, with a focus on the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Scholars, policy-makers and activists point to the spatial patterns of poverty, health and education disparities, crime, disinvestment and other issues impacting some inner-city communities. Students will explore the history, challenges and opportunities for strengthening and building stronger, more equitable urban neighborhoods and communities in the United States. We will also develop a race-conscious and equity-minded framework for understanding and acting on urban poverty, community development and urban planning. The course will survey theories, challenges and strategies for neighborhood and community revitalization by engaging in critical thinking and discussion, readings, guest speakers, site visits and engaged scholarship in partnership with community-based organizations in the Twin Cities. Topics explored included: housing, education, jobs, transportation, mass incarceration, the environment, food systems, community development corporations, community building, engagement and organizing, the role of the public sector, advocacy, social capital, crime, the arts, and more. Students will choose a class project during the semester that will engage with community organizations working around issues of neighborhood revitalization.
This is a hands-on project that engages students in real-world, community-based problem solving.