You should choose a topic that is of interest to you. We have or will have covered a number of issues during the semester including (but
not limited to):
Affordable housing development
Governing the fragmented metropolis/possibilities for regional governance
The urban/suburban divide
Race and federal housing/urban policy
Urban sprawl
Urban development and redevelopment
Urban politics, race and multi-ethnic coalitions
Cities and federal policy
Response to disaster recovery in New Orleans and New York
Impact of immigrants and cities (current or historical)
Education Reform/ School choice—charters and vouchers
Sustainability/Green Development
This is by no means an exhaustive list. Hopefully it will get you started thinking. You should take a critical approach and explore your
topic. Do not simply present a narrative “report” on the subject. The goal of this paper should be to critically address a subject and
take a position on it. First explain the problem or problems related to the issue. What is the policy challenge? You can focus on one or
more cities that face the same challenge. Define and critically assess policy options to address the issue. Propose a solution to the
problem. You can reflect on examples of policies that have been chosen in a city or cities