Society and culture in the last century have been decisively shaped by the city and by the experience of the urban. By examining this fascinating location, its geography and topography, its traffic and networks, its development, changes and expansions, its practical and symbolic functions, we begin to ask larger questions about modernity and culture in general. This course introduces students to this topic through a range of literary, filmic and theoretical texts responding to aspects of the city. Participants will develop skills of comparison and analysis, and reflect on important themes such as money/poverty, technology, gender/sexuality, crime and migration.