Cities in a Globalizing World

Cities such as New York, London, Hong Kong, Sao Paolo, Tokyo and Mumbai, have been at the heart of deepening economic, social and political globalization. International trade, financial flows, the arts, and migration have shaped their process of urbanization and position in national life and they in turn have influenced the character of globalization. Policymakers in global cities have abundant resources at their disposal but face complicated governance challenges due to their size, complexity and deep linkages to the rest of the world. In addition, global cities increasingly must compete for human capital and investment. This course examines the key features of global cities and the main stages of their development. It explores the governance challenges that policymakers in global cities face in the areas of economics, infrastructure, environment, human capital development, and social welfare. For instance, in the area of economic policymaking, students will analyze the importance of agglomeration, economic clusters, economies of scale, and spillovers as well as the possible strategies for gaining a competitive edge over other cities.