This course will explore the political, economic, social, and demographic forces associated with development patterns in metropolitan areas, with a particular focus on Chicago. We will examine the government policies, economic forces, and social attitudes that affect the way a region grows and develops. Over the past half century, the flight from urban centers to the surrounding suburbs has delivered the "American dream" as interpreted by many: attractive homes and good schools in relatively homogenous communities. At the same time, this ongoing "suburbanization" has been associated with economic and racial segregation, environmental degradation, worsening traffic congestion, and even America's obesity epidemic.
