The world is currently undergoing an unprecedented wave of urbanization. At a speed unseen in human history, China added more city-dwellers in the 1980s than did all of Europe in the 19th century. This phenomenal rate of urbanization continues unabated to this present day. At the center of this phenomenon is the emergence of Shanghai as one of the most heralded examples of the world’s new megacities. Few cities have captured the world’s imagination and admiration as Shanghai has. The city not only encapsulates the current great urban transformation, for many it also serves as a model of economic development and a symbol of prosperity for other developing countries to emulate.

A focus on urbanization through the lens of Shanghai allows us to raise at once a host of pressing questions related to China’s path of development, the lessons to be learned for other developing societies, and the shape of our common future. The curriculum will raise questions of sustainability, poverty reduction, civil society, internal migration, the role of women and changing societal values.

To engage these issues, the Lexia in Shanghai Journalism and Urbanization program emphasizes a cross-disciplinary approach and draws on journalistic perspectives to help students grasp the historical, social, and cultural context of China as well as give them an understanding of the broader issues of the field.