The Global Urban Studies Program

The Global Urban Studies Program (GUSP) at MSU, founded by Dr. Laura Reese in 2006, engages in rigorous graduate education and innovative interdisciplinary research that impacts and improves urban conditions throughout the world.

The Graduate Specialization in Global Urban Studies addresses political, spatial, cultural, and economic processes and issues in urban areas across the United States and the world, as well as the global processes that impact and unite urban areas. Course work includes foci on urban areas in the United States and abroad; urban areas in comparative context regionally, nationally, and internationally; and how the forces of globalization change urban areas.

As director of GUSP, Reese is familiar with many of the challenges of a rapidly urbanizing world and has built a multidisciplinary team to analyze many of the challenges common to urban areas, both locally and abroad, such as poverty, diversity, housing provision, transportation, economic development, public services, and citizenship.

"The wide range of academic disciplines represented in our faculty and the broad geographic scope of their research provide an ideal opportunity to gain new perspectives on these problems," Reese said. "We are able to bring together diverse ideas and experiences—both successes and failures—that can help us plan for a better future."

Reese's own research currently involves work with the Detroit City Council. "The problems facing Detroit, and indeed older cities around the world, do not have any easy or quick solutions," she said. "The present situation took a long time to develop and it will take considerable effort and political will to bring about the necessary changes. I believe high quality academic research that has a focus on improving policy is essential to this effort."

For more information visit gusp.msu.edu