Course-based undergraduate research: Investigating intersection of race, housing and public policy in the Sacramento region

Keywords: Course-based undergraduate research, housing, race
Abstract Type: Poster Abstract

Abstract

This course-based research experience (CURE) builds on an existing community partnership between the Department of Geography and Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG). The intersection of race, housing, and public policy has long been a subject of analysis for urban geography. While the broad effects of housing segregation, restrictive covenants, redlining, and discrimination are all well documented, it is less clear how those factors played out comprehensively across the Sacramento region. As a class, we wanted to explore to what degree past racialized planning practices explain contemporary patterns of residential segregation. Employing a course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE) model offered a research opportunity to a broader population of students, who produced research outputs that will be shared and used by SACOG. The CURE model, while more widely used in the natural and lab sciences, is novel in undergraduate geography teaching. At the end of the semester, students were surveyed regarding their confidence in using GIS software, finding and analyzing data, answering geographic questions, and presenting findings. It is our intent to use this research to develop further CURE-based courses in human and urban geography.