Professor plans to hold "live" web class participation from 2:00PM to 5:00PM on Mondays. There will also be asynchronus parts to this course, to be announced via Canvas.
Course Description:
In the U.S., our cities and metropolitan regions are also the powerhouses that drive our national economy. Nearly 85 percent of Americans live and work in them, and they produce 90 percent of our economic output. They are our research and innovation hubs, our centers of competitiveness and creativity. As rife with housing unaffordability and economic inequality as they are, they are the places where social mobility is highest. Simply put: as our urban communities have become coveted destinations to live and work, they have developed a fierce competition for talent, requiring data-driven economic development strategies and policies to maintain their competitiveness and build greater inclusive prosperity.
This will course will examine the evolution in applied practice of urban and economic development policies, strategies, programs, and initiatives in communities. Specifically, the course will provide participants with a hands-on understanding of the forces affecting economic development strategies, information on successful and unsuccessful approaches, and an opportunity to engage in a critical analysis of current thinking in urban and rural economic development. Communities must create an ecosystem that develops new ideas and helps to foster cultural, entrepreneurial, civic, scientific, and artistic creativity. The goal of this course is to help you master the fundamental practices of economic development that are necessary for building stronger such communities.