Urban Economics

How and why do cities form? Why do people live in the suburbs and commute to the Central Business District? Why do tech industries want to locate right next to each other in Silicon Valley? Are toll roads just there to annoy us, or is there some economic rationale for them? This course combines economic theory and empirical evidence to provide an overview of the forces beyond our spatial organization as well as a survey of urban problems relating to land use, traffic, housing, and racial segregation. (ECON 0155) 3 hrs. lect.