Simon Fraser University
Engaging the World

Course Outlines

Fall 2025 - URB 650 G100

Urban Governance (4)

Class Number: 3961

Delivery Method: In Person

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    Sep 3 – Dec 2, 2025: Mon, 5:30–9:20 p.m.
    Vancouver

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

This course is intended to confront students with many of the current administrative, policy, inter-governmental and political challenges of local/urban/city-regional government in the 21st century. It will enable students to critically evaluate the varied nature and development of urban and metropolitan governance through an assessment of differing city-regional forms and responsibilities. The primary emphasis is on: social, economic and political sustainability; ethnic, gender and ecological re-definitions of the city; urban fiscal constraints and possibilities; urban governance and local democracy; intergovernmental challenges; urban responses to and re-definitions of re-globalization; case studies of agenda setting and other policy cycle stages. The primary seminar focus is on urban Canada but comparative cases will be drawn from the United States, the EU, Asia and other jurisdictions.

COURSE DETAILS:

Understand how urban decisions are made, who influences them and the outcomes those choices
produce. Through the examination of various theoretical frameworks, this course provides
opportunities to analyze current administrative and political challenges of local, urban, and
regional governance in the 21st century. You will engage with real-world problems to understand
the nuts and bolts behind municipal and local policymaking. The course assessments are designed
to help you critically approach today’s challenges in cities in Canada and around the globe.

Grading

  • Class Participation 10%
  • Presentation and Discussion of Weekly Readings 15%
  • Observation 15%
  • Class Project 35%
  • Op-ed 25%

Materials

REQUIRED READING NOTES:

Your personalized Course Material list, including digital and physical textbooks, are available through the SFU Bookstore website by simply entering your Computing ID at: shop.sfu.ca/course-materials/my-personalized-course-materials.

Graduate Studies Notes:

Important dates and deadlines for graduate students are found here: http://www.sfu.ca/dean-gradstudies/current/important_dates/guidelines.html. The deadline to drop a course with a 100% refund is the end of week 2. The deadline to drop with no notation on your transcript is the end of week 3.

Registrar Notes:

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS

At SFU, you are expected to act honestly and responsibly in all your academic work. Cheating, plagiarism, or any other form of academic dishonesty harms your own learning, undermines the efforts of your classmates who pursue their studies honestly, and goes against the core values of the university.

To learn more about the academic disciplinary process and relevant academic supports, visit: 


RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION

Students with a faith background who may need accommodations during the term are encouraged to assess their needs as soon as possible and review the Multifaith religious accommodations website. The page outlines ways they begin working toward an accommodation and ensure solutions can be reached in a timely fashion.