Geographies of Growth and Decline
one-way Exclusions
Two 1.5 hour sessions per week
- Franklin, R. (2020) I Come to Bury (Population) Growth, Not to Praise it, Spatial Economic Analysis.
- Hackworth, J. (2016) Why There is No Detroit in Canada, Urban Geography, 37(2): 272-295.
- Hartt, M. (2021) Quietly Shrinking Cities: Canadian Urban Population Loss in an Age of Growth. UBC Press.
- Martinez-Fernandez, C. et al. (2012) Shrinking Cities: Urban Challenges of Globalization, International Journal
- of Urban and Regional Research, 36(2): 213-225.
Please note that course information listed in the Arts and Science Course Calendar supersedes any information listed on the Geography and Planning website.
For the most current course offerings, registered Queen鈥檚 students should consult .
Course Description
This course explores how the growth-focus of capitalist society has led to the widespread assumption of growth and territorial stigma of decline. We will examine how social, economic, environmental, cultural, and political processes at the local, national, and global level shape and reinforce distinct geographies of growth and decline.
Course Overview
Is continuous growth possible? Is it even desirable? This course explores the drivers and effects of urban growth and decline. A near ubiquitous societal growth-focus has led to the assumption of growth and territorial stigma of slow growth and decline. In this course, we will examine how social, economic, environmental, cultural, and political processes at the local, national, and global level shape and reinforce distinct geographies of growth and decline.
Course Topics
This course will examine the growth and decline of cities with an emphasis on the relationships between local, regional, national, and global processes in a range of topics including: the growth and significance of cities; globalization and the network society; patterns, causes and effects of shrinking and declining cities; perceptions of and responses to urban decline; and post-growth futures. Topics will be discussed in a range of North American and international contexts. Throughout the course we will consider how the growth and decline of cities are associated with, driven by, and perpetuate racial, ethnic, gender, age, and other inequalities.
Learning Outcomes
- Identify and describe major economic and demographic trends shaping urban structures and relations at multiple spatial scales.
- Explain conceptual models of regional, urban, and neighbourhood growth and decline.
- Critically review and evaluate policies and strategies for reversing, managing, and adapting to economic and population decline.
- Present conceptual and empirical analysis of urban economic decline in written and verbal formats.
Assessments
Subject to Change
- Participation: 20%
- Midterm Test: 35%
- Term Project: 45%