The environment. Social justice. Politics. The arts. Healthcare. The economy. Urbanization. Education. Transportation.
In 2021, Chicago Studies has convened a College-wide conversation about the possible futures of our city, asking questions that ranged from the very broad and theoretical (what should be the drivers of future urbanization in the Great Lakes Basin, and how should we conceptualize them?) to the hyperlocal and specific (how are Chicago drag queens and other nightlife performers adapting to and surviving in a world where all the bars close early?). The goal of our Chicago Futures series, ultimately, has been to push back against the narrative of the decline of urban life in places like Chicago, and to argue instead that the pandemic and its intertwined crises, though destabilizing, offer us an opportunity to re-imagine urban life across many domains.
Building a future requires more than merely asking good questions, however. We next need to find our way into answers. Ideas must be conceptualized, clarified, argued over, and refined into practicable solutions and/or attainable goals. Alternative strategies for attainment, execution, and implementation must be weighed. Historically, this is the kind of work at which the scholars of the University of Chicago have excelled...and so Chicago Studies is excited to invite the input of members of the College community as we contemplate the next phase of our collective study of Chicago's present and possible futures.
What are the ideas about urban life -- about Chicago's life! -- that most need this kind of deep exploration in the next year? What proposed solutions to urban problems need refining, unclear visions need focus, marginal voices need a hearing, strategies need research? Chicago Studies invites YOUR thoughtful, well-researched suggestions for the next conversations that most need to be had about (and with) Chicago. Point us toward the next big idea, policy proposal, wicked question, or visionary thinkers that the College (and the city) needs to think with and about. We'll announce the most compelling ideas -- and the programming they're inspiring for 2021-2022 -- during our Chicago Studies Research Colloquium in Week 9.
