Why cities exist, how their characteristics change over time and how global and national urban networks function are analyzed in the course. Different means of financing city government and related issues such as the impact of globalization, decentralization of government and metropolitan fragmentation on urban finances are explored. A variety of urban problems such as sustainability of cities, housing, health, education, crime, poverty, pollution, labor conditions, discrimination, and transportation are studied. The impact of different theoretical perspectives in economics on urban analysis and policy are considered.