Learning by Comparison: First World/Third World Cities
This MIT graduate seminar asks how cities from wealthy and developing countries can be compared in ways that are theoretically sound and actually useful, given how little rigorous comparative literature exists on the subject. Sessions combine assigned readings, case studies of specific cities, and in-class discussion to work through the pitfalls of cross-context comparison: what data are available, which methods hold up across very different urban settings, and which issues or sectors (housing, infrastructure, governance) are best suited to comparative study. The course is interdisciplinary, drawing on planning, geography, and sociology, and is aimed at masters and doctoral students expected to develop their own comparative research approach by the end. Materials are provided through MIT OpenCourseWare under a Creative Commons license, with no cost to access the syllabus and readings list. There is no certificate.