STV 305 - Technology, Society and the Modern City

Cities may be humanity's most significant invention, where we shape our vision of the civilized life. At the same time, the demands of cities shape our lives in fundamental ways. As most of humanity now lives in cities, the technology of city living increasingly becomes the technology of human life itself. The purpose of this course is to examine the technology of civilized life, with the city itself as both a technological system and a scene of technological living. Topics explored include food, transport, cars, architecture, urban planning, public spaces, sanitation and health, civics and governance, sustainability, and information and communications technology. The Canadian city receives some emphasis.