Use the responses below as a guide for the class discussion.

1. The students should note several trends: (1) there has been a shift from mostly MDC cities represented in earlier decades to a predominance of LDCs by the late twentieth century (and even more so by 2015!). For example, the data show that in 1950, 11 of the 15 cities were in MDCs, whereas by 2015, 13 of the 15 will be in LDCs; (2) the threshold for characterizing megacities has increased over the years. According to the UN, in 1950, the minimum population size for the 15 largest urban agglomerations was 3.3 million, but a population of 9.8 million was required as a threshold in 1994. For instance, in 1994, Los Angeles, with a population of 12.2 million was listed as the seventh largest city, whereas 12.3 million in 1950 (New York) was enough to qualify for top position.
2. Students will likely answer that population growth is the reason behind the growth of cities, but in-migration should be mentioned as well. Encourage students to think a little more deeply about their answers; for instance: Why migration into cities? What propels migrants from rural areas? What do cities offer? What factors might sustain high natural growth rates in the cities?
3. Students will likely respond that overcrowding, pollution, and fewer resources for more people are the implications of growth. They might have a harder time thinking of the implications of the shift toward urban agglomeration in the South for residents of MDCs. Responses such as "moral or ethical concerns over growing poverty" might arise, or the fact that such large cities provide US corporations with a reserve of labor and larger urban markets for US goods. Finally, they might say that if there is overcrowding and poverty in these cities, these factors raise the likelihood of people emigrating out of the city or country, leading these migrants to the US in search of jobs and a living wage. This is an important point in the context of this module and one that will be explored in more depth in Activity 1.2 and in Unit 3.

1. How are the cities similar?

Students may note things like: their coastal locations -- which draws attention to their colonial pasts and becomes an important site factor in regard to the New International Division of Labor; the fact that many of the slums are on the periphery of the city and often on hillsides of poor land quality; characterized by mass poverty and severe environmental pollution -- especially the LDC cities ; the Central Business Districts (CBDs) are often built around, or at least include, an historic district or plaza; located as a transportation or communications "hub" of the country (this could probably be seen only with a country map).
 
2. How are they different?

Some cities have two CBDs; the one encompassing the more modern sectors is often located away from the historical core whereas an older CBD is usually located in the historical district. Good examples of this are Quito and Guayaquil in Ecuador. The physical site will play a role in making each city look (and function) differently; again, Quito is a long, thin city, while Guayaquil fans out from the port.
The differences between North American and Latin American cities include more middle-income neighborhoods in North American cities and more polarized neighborhoods in Latin American cities; North American cities are often organized around manufacturing, while Latin American cities are often organized around transportation networks.
 
3. Given the general observations you’ve made, what problems can we anticipate?

Congestion, especially if modern-sector activities expand into already-used slums; modern development may skip over slums, causing problems in transportation, communications, and the provision of public services (McKee 1994). We can also expect continued environmental degradation, expansion onto productive agricultural land, and increased social tensions, among others.

 

Activity 1.4:  Visualizing Urban Landscapes:  First Impressions of a City

The posters for this activity will vary depending on the city chosen, the amount of time allotted for research and creation, and student enthusiasm. In group projects of this kind, it is possible that several students will complete a disproportionate share of the work for the entire group. One way to account for these inequities is to assess students’ participation by asking each group member to evaluate his or her own contribution to the project as well as the contribution of each of the other team members. Let students know that the evaluations will be confidential and that their final grade will be based upon their own evaluation, those of other students, and the your assessment of the final product.

For additional information on evaluating this type of on-going group work, see Notes on Active Pedagogy or the source below:

Kneale, Pauline. 1996. Organizing student-centered group fieldwork and presentations. Journal of Geography in Higher Education 20, 1 (March): 65-74.