ECON 323 Urban Economics
Cities are great places where populations gather, interact, and create new ideas. At the same time, cities represent problems such as traffic, crime, and economic inequality. Why do cities exist in the first place? How do we explain the land use patterns and housing prices? Does building infrastructure relieve congestion or create pollution? Does gentrification help revitalize inner cities? This course offers a rigorous survey of urban and spatial economics. Core theories in urban economics will be introduced, as well as ideas in economic geography, spatial econometrics, and sustainable development. Basic skills in data analysis and visualization will be developed.