Urban Sustainability

Drawing on work in anthropology, architectural history, and science and technology studies, this course will examine the historical and contemporary efforts to render Paris a sustainable city.

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Program Details:

• Program Dates: May 13 - 31, 2024
• Program Location: Rice Global Paris Center | Paris, France
• Who Can Apply? Rice Undergraduates - not expected to have any background regarding the issues covered during this course.
• Program Total Cost: $1,200 per credit hour ($3,600 Tuition for 3 credit hours) + travel to Paris ($1000-$2500) and living expenses for 3 weeks ($1000-$1500).
• What's Covered: The program will provide housing for all three weeks, local travel, course-set excursions/tickets, three group meals, and travel insurance.
• What's Not Covered: Airfare to Paris, passport fees (if applicable), any visa fees (if applicable), ride to and from the airport, any non-course planned travel/excursions/tickets, International phone plans and/or SIM cards, incidentals, and most meals.
• Financial Aid: Students looking for financial aid to help with expenses should contact the Financial Aid Office to see if and how much financial aid they qualify for. Summer tuition qualifies for some assistance, and in some cases, grants are available
• Tuition Assistance: Students can also apply to receive further tuition assistance and some international travel assistance from Rice Global Paris. Application for assistance is included in the course application.

Course Details:

• Credit Hours: 3 credit hours
• Course Instructor: Dr. Gökçe Günel
• Course Description: How can we design equitable cities that respond to contemporary environmental, financial, and political challenges? What kinds of urban ideals do such projects rely on and reproduce? How do we construct and maintain the infrastructures that facilitate the lives of human and nonhuman city residents? Drawing on work in anthropology, architectural history, and science and technology studies, this course will examine the historical and contemporary efforts to render Paris a sustainable city. In addition to analyzing novels and films that center on the development of urban infrastructure, this class will build on excursions in Paris, such as trips to Ivry-sur-Seine housing project, the Promenade Plantée park, and the now-defunct test tracks of the personal rapid transit project Aramis. The class will also take a day trip to the Royal Saltworks in eastern France to examine the relationship between urbanism and resources.
• Who is this class for? Participants are not expected to have any background regarding the issues covered during this course. Please come to class having carefully read and watched assignments due that day. Your thoughtful contributions are essential to this class.
• Course Zoom Information Session: Click here to view the Zoom information session recording.

For questions, visit our FAQ page or email pariscenter@rice.edu. The application deadline is January 26, 2024.