CS–URST 069
The Politics of Public Space
Winter 2023
Midterm Essays
Answer both questions in short essay form (2–4 paragraphs), based on the lectures and
readings. (You do not have a choice.)
Use 12–point font, double spacing, and 1” margins.
Give notes for all quotations.
Write the essays in a word processor, save in a PDF file, and submit it on Canvas at
Assignments/Midterm Essays.
Write essays with an introduction, an argument and a conclusion.
Do not simply answer the questions, create an argument within your answers.
No bullet points.
In your answers, be very specific; use examples and quotes from the readings.
Draw on the lectures and discussions.
Develop your own ideas and avoid generalizations.
Each essay is worth 50 points.
1. Summarize and compare the definitions of public space in Richard Sennett’s The Fall of Public Man and Neil Smith and Setha Low’s Introduction to The Politics of Public Space.
What types of spaces do they consider “public space”? According to Sennett, how did public space change with the rise of capitalism? According to Low and Smith, how has public space changed under neoliberalism?
2. Describe how Paris was transformed during the nineteenth century. What were the most important public spaces in the city after Haussmann’s public works projects? Discuss the social and political consequences of Haussmann’s renovations of the city. How wasnineteenth–century Paris divided by class? What spaces did working–class women andmiddle–class women occupy?
