Cities, People, and Urban Life around the Globe

With Support from the African Studies Center and the Carolina Asia Center

February 6, 2016

Today, half of the world’s population lives in cities. From ancient Rome, through medieval London, to industrial New York and modern Shanghai, urban spaces have offered residents access to modern conveniences, but also increased crime, disease, and pollution. This seminar will discuss the current state of urban life around the globe in the wake of decolonization, foreign investment, civil wars, and population growth. Christian Lentz will use Vietnam, Burma, and Indonesia as case studies for a broader discussion on decolonization and development, while Chérie Rivers Ndaliko will focus on issues related to foreign aid and urban “development” in conflict regions of Africa. Morgan Pitelka will give us a sense of contemporary urban life in three of East Asia’s great cities, while Robin Kirk will discuss human rights issues affecting cities in areas as diverse as Northern Ireland, Peru, and South Africa. All of these themes will inform our discussion on the future of urban life around the globe.

Topics & Speakers

Post-colonial Developments in Southeast Asia: Vietnam, Indonesia, and Burma
Christian Lentz, Assistant Professor of Geography

Art vs. Aid: Cultural Activism in African Conflicts
Chérie Rivers Ndaliko, Assistant Professor of Music

Urban Culture in East Asia: An Introduction to Beijing, Kyoto and Tokyo
Morgan Pitelka, Associate Professor of Asian Studies and Director, Carolina Asia Center

Human Rights and Urban Spaces
Robin Kirk, Lecturer in Cultural Anthropology and Faculty Co-Chair of the Executive Committee of the Duke Human Rights Center at the Franklin Humanities Institute, Duke University

How Increased Urbanization May Change Our Ways of Life
A panel discussion with our speakers

Time & Cost

9:15 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday, February 6, 2016. The tuition is $125 ($110 by February 2). Tuition for teachers is $62.50 ($55 by February 2). Teachers can also receive a $75 stipend after attending (click here for more information) and 10 contact hours for 1 unit of renewal credit. The optional lunch is $15.00.

For information about lodging click here.

Co-Sponsored by the General Alumni Association.

For information about GAA discounts and other scholarships available to Humanities Program participants, click here.

Register for this seminar.