Instructions:
Please choose one of the two prompts below and compose a 4-5-page essay, drawing on course themes, readings, lectures, and films. The essay should be submitted online through Canvas by Friday, November 13th by midnight. Be sure to cite specific concepts, ideas, quotations, and examples in building your arguments. The best essays will reference key course materials while demonstrating original thinking in answering the questions. Your grade will be based on:
- (40 points) – The extent to which the response demonstrates an understanding of key concepts and thoughtfully and thoroughly answers the questions
- (40 points) – The depth of the analysis, including reference to specific citations and examples and attention to the connections between course materials
- (20 points) – The overall quality of the work, including evidence of effort, logic and reasoning, and conformity to the formatting guidelines
Essay Prompts:
- Why have informal settlements (“slums”) grown at such a rapid pace in major cities worldwide and what obstacles and opportunities present themselves to residents of these communities? Why do governments demonize “slums” and target these areas for redevelopment, and what are the consequences of these representations and interventions for residents?
Formatting guidelines:
Please use 12 point, Times New Roman font, double spaced, with one-inch margins all around. Be sure to include page numbers and a title for your essay. Please cite your sources parenthetically, with page numbers noted for direct quotes—for example (Smith 2015: 22)—and include a works cited page. Following these formatting guidelines, the paper should be 4-5 pages in length, excluding the works cited page.
