Introduction to Technology and Cities
This MIT OpenCourseWare seminar examines how information and communication technologies have reshaped urban planning, community life, and metropolitan governance over the past two decades. Readings, guest lectures from invited speakers, class discussions, and homework exercises walk through four core areas: metropolitan information infrastructures, urban modeling and visualization, e-government, and the rise of collaborative planning and cyber communities. Students weigh how technology has changed the meaning of place, the practice of city planning, and the strength of social ties within neighborhoods. The seminar meets weekly on Tuesdays, with occasional Friday or Monday lunchtime sessions featuring outside speakers. Materials include the full syllabus, assigned readings, and discussion topics, offered free through MIT OpenCourseWare with no certificate attached.