This course gives students an introduction to urban studies that is historical, transnational and multidisciplinary. Starting with basic concepts such as "what is a city in today's world?" it addresses some of the main analytical debates of the field today, including massive urban growth, urban inequality and segregation, the politics of urban space, suburban sprawl, ghettos, slums, and the explosion of informal settlements, gentrification, urban circulation systems, global cities and urban networks, and the promise and perils of cities for humans' relationship to the environment.