48-373 Istanbul Constantinople. An Urban History
9 units, Carnegie Mellon University
A dynamic metropolitan area, with a burgeoning population and rapid urbanization, Istanbul is at the same time a finely woven tangle of historical layers. In this class we will introduce urban history and its methods as we focus on key moments of Istanbuls history. We will delve deeply into the citys powerful and at times competing historical narratives. We will trace the growth and transformation of the urban fabric, discussing Istanbuls role as imperial capital of the Romans, the Byzantines, the Ottomans, its changing fortunes in the twentieth century and the historical roots of the presentday world city. We will discuss cultural specificity and reactions to international models, the challenges of preservation and transformation of the urban fabric and the political making and remaking of its cultural identity. We will also take into account the power of this city to fascinate and inspire through the centuries the imagined city as a layer of the physical one.
Prerequisites: 48-240
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