This course is designed to introduce students to thinking beyond the automobile in relation to urban mobility and social life. Through historical analysis and contemporary case studies, students will examine how the rise of cars has reshaped cities and influenced economic disparities. It combines lectures, films, seminars, and research to provide a multidisciplinary understanding of urban development, car culture, and inequality, with a focus on the role of law, policy, and planning instruments. Ongoing debates around the future of urban mobility will be addressed and students will be encouraged to think through solutions and alternatives to automobile dependency.

As a matter of familiarity and expertise, this course draws heavily on examples and material from my decade of practice in the field. I also make use of planning and policy instruments that shape cities, anthropological and sociological articles and case studies, films, podcasts, non-fiction writing and other creative content that offer diverse perspectives and evidence based insights. Students will also be required to read a minimum number of academic and theoretical writing, and critically engage with legal instruments of city and mobility making. To maintain accessibility for all students the course will also introduce them to technical aspects of transport planning and urban design.