The Global City–

How Would I Approach This Course Today?

Subsequent to a 2011 interview, I was appointed by the Master of Public Policy and Administration Program Director at Northwestern University to teach the course “The Global City.” Through the 2017-18 academic year, I presented this 10 week core class, turned elective, 16 times to more than 400 graduate students. After 2014, when I retired from my day job, I platooned between the distance learning and in-classroom environments. Given all that has happened in the last ten years, I wonder how I would approach this course today? How much is still applicable, what isn’t, and what new information needs to be integrated into the conversation? Just the aggregate effects of working remotely and the overwhelming movement of goods and immigrant populations would alter the discourse. Fascinating as well as deeply concerning. I would suggest that such a course should be a cornerstone in schools of public policy and especially programs centered on economic development.

Regardless, I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Northwestern and especially the time spent in Chicagoland. My own knowledge grew exponentially.

By the way, here is the EIU’s current list of global city hotspots.

Click to access Cities-Hot-Spots-2025.pdf