Project Title: Small Stores, Big Cities

Professor: Samuel Finesurrey, Ph.D.

Course: History 221 – The History of Urban Life

Modality: Online Synchronous

Partner Institution: American University of Cairo

Links/Conference Presentation:

Abstract of Project: In 2021 undergraduate researchers in Egypt and the U.S. designed an ethnographic study of small businesses in New York and Cairo, two of the world’s economic and cultural capitals. These parallel studies explored how each cities’ small businesses navigated a global pandemic, movements for social justice, vast inequity, and the uneven distribution of government resources. The results were uneven, sometimes heartwarming other times unsettling. The experience of producing knowledge however proved transformative for the students involved.

Crafting the Project with Professor Partner — Understanding Different Academic Context in Planning and Collaboration: Guttman students in my History of Urban Life Course project partnered with an American University of Cairo’s Urban Planning course provided both challenges and opportunities. AUC is one of the most prestigious colleges in the Middle East and North Africa with students often coming from elite Arab families. While scholarships are provided to working class Egyptians, the vast majority of AUC students come from the top of the economic hierarchy with rigorous private academic training leading up to their admittance into AUC. In some ways this was very helpful as every AUC student spoke impeccable English. In other ways this proved challenging as our History of Urban Life class was a lower-level course partnering with a senior level class at AUC. We were able to accommodate the differences in preparations and course goals by pursuing two parallel projects where both classes would collect data for the other course in pursuing connected, but separate final projects.

Student’s Reaction to, and Commination During the Project: Students largely embraced the project, largely because it became the central project in the course. They communicated with their partners in Cairo via slack, which was okay, but there was a steep learning curve for all involved. Our preference was to us WhatsApp, however, this application is banned by the Egyptian government. All oral histories were uploaded via the free version of Dropbox. This was my most successful course that semester, in a semester that was very difficult as the first full online semester following the start of COVID. They engaged thoughtfully with their Egyptian counterparts, although only once synchronously due to the difficult time difference.

Biggest Obstacles Faced: The biggest obstacle for me was trying to teach both the standard material in the History of Urban Life course and collaborate with students in constructing this project. COIL projects have a way of taking over the course, and this project was no exception. That said, I think the level of engagement by the students, excited by partnering with young people half a world away, proved the value of this sort of work.

Evaluating Success: In small groups, the students at Guttman interviewed workers and owners of bodegas and family-owned restaurants in NYC, while students at AUC interviewed small shop owners to look at the uneven results of financial pain, government neglect and government support in times of upheaval. The students at Guttman sought to unveil universal and localized patterns that highlight the experiences of small businesses during the pandemic in both Cairo and NYC. Conversely, AUC students used the data collected by both courses to look at the ways space was organized in and around these business setting in times of pandemic.

Class Syllabus:

The-History-of-Urban-Life-F21

 

Relevant Assignments — Outline of the Work:

Due 9/21/21

Part One: (20 Points) Introduction video – In a 2 min max video to be uploaded as UNLISTED on YouTube to be shared with the class explain the story of your name. You will put the link in your submission of this assignment. Think about the following questions when responding: 

  • For whom or what were you named?
  • How was your first and last name decided upon?
  • Is there a family history that accompanies the name you were given?

Part Two: (10 Points) UN Sustainability Goal 10: Look through the following links. In a paragraph explain how in your experience inequality has impacted NYC and the globe

  • https://en.unesco.org/themes/education/sdgs/material/10
  • https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/inequality/

Part Three: (20 Points) Oral History Work and Questions

  • Read through how to conduct an oral history here
  • Look over the list of questions provided at the bottom of the page and write down two of the questions that you like (and why you like them), two that you do not like (and why you do not like them) and two of your own, related questions.

Due 9/21/21

  • First please complete the readings on NYC and Cairo.
    • Take notes on the reading Intros to Cairo and NYC to submit. (20 Points) See below on how to take good notes.
      • Take notes in your own words. Do not use my words or those of you classmates.
      • Organize your notes in an outline, not paragraph format.
      • Organize your notes with captions or subheadings.
      • Focus on what’s most important rather than taking notes on everything.
      • Make sure key names and events are covered in your notes.
      • Make sure you have notes for the entire video or reading, not just the first half.
    • Write a page (double spaced) comparing an aspect of life in Cairo and NYC focusing on commonalities and differences. (20 Points)
  • Second post the video you already created for this explaining your name to the shared Slack page between ourselves and the American University of Cairo. (10 Points)

Due 9/26/21

  • You must log into Slack and do the following… (10 Points)
  • Post to your group’s slack page an edited version of your work for week one where you commented on the existing oral history questions and created your own original questions.You will likely want to update these questions based on the conversation we had in today’s class which you can watch here if you were not present… https://youtu.be/zZ0JYrnN4ho

Due 10/3/21

  • You must meet with your groups, narrow the list of questions, likes, and dislikes to 10 questions and 10 comments for the whole group. Remember you are critiquing theDraft” created by me and Professor  With your group’s list you must do two things:
  • On blackboard as individuals submit a written document with your group’s questions, likes and dislikes.
  • As a group post a video made collectively presenting the questions, likes and dislikes. One person from your groups must post your video in “videos-questions_likes_dislikes” on slack.

Due 10/24/21

  • Write one paragraphs about the similar, and/or different, challenges small businesses in each city faced.
  • Under at least two of your classmates’ or Egyptian counterparts’ responses, in a sentence or two reflect on what they said. Make sure to end your comments with your name to get credit for your work.
  • These groups are based on the FOURslack groups with students in the American University of Cairo. 
    • Group One:Jana Kabesh, Leila El-Seweidy, Mariam Gouda, Yola Elwy, Shania Alexander, Olyvia Wilgus, Tejandra Rosado, Edwin Pastor, Briana Garland, Topaz Pantoja, WeiHao Ou, Magdaline Pena Villa, Kalan James
    • Group Two: Jana Ahmed Nasr, Nadin Fouda, Nadin Khalil, Rowan Ali, Josery Compres, Dahian Abreu, Sitora Hodieva, Sydney Polanco, Cielo Perez, Isaacs Perfecto, Bashir Juwara, Montgomery Martinez, Kadijatu Kamara
    • Group Three: Aya Gamal, Eleanor Mohamed, Habiba Emad, Rana Ali, Salma Awad, DeAnte Turner Green, Jefferson Campoverde, Devin Mendoza, Anais Amen, Ariel Lewis, Linda Davis, Amjad Alsaidi
    • Group Four: Habiba Shoukry, Lina Teama, Malak Maged, Yostina Filoppos, Yuliza Genis, Angel Gitte, Joseph Noesi, Fabby Cohate, Maria Morales, Anna Smith, Irma Perdomo Pavon, Mia Acevedo, Garrett Delgado
  • See below under “Transcripts” if you are having trouble accessing your own transcript.
  • Group Transcript Assignment Part One Due 10/24 (Final Transcript Due 10/31)
    • As a Guttman interview group you need to decide how you plan to split up the responsibilities of editing the transcript of the Oral History. You DO NOT have to submit the transcript by next week—the transcript is due 10/31–you only must decide how you’re going to divide it up.

Due 10/31/23

  • You will be graded as an individual (50%) and as a whole group (50%) based on your division of the transcript.
  • Watch the Transcript Video: I promise the video will help explain what you must do for the transcript. Follow the steps below to get full credit.

Due 11/21/23

  • Group Work (50 Points)
  • Many of you began the work as groups in class, but for those who did not please contact your group members. We are working in the original four groups found here:https://docs.google.com/document/d/1QZTjL2Mcz_gi5vb_SJY20BliXBGQ4Ct6BMfExYwxhQc/edit?usp=sharing
  • Your assignment is to make short videos discussing any/all the following things we did in the class this semester. If your group members already made a video, please separately send me a video reflecting on two of these themes.
  • Please feel free to spice up the videos with images, animation, photos, and Please make sure the group videos are less than 5 min. Try to make them around 3 min if possible after editing.
  • Name Exercise: Reflect on how you experienced the “introductory history of your name” exercise. What was it like to tell the story of your own name? What was it like to hear about the names of your classmates from other cultural backgrounds and the naming traditions of the students from Egypt?
  • Inequality: What was it like to do a project focused on the themes of the struggles of small businesses in the face of inequality, COVID, and mass-uprisings.
  • Academic Exchange: What was it like to be part of a global learning exchange where you engaged with a professor and students from across the world studying a similar subject?
  • Community Interaction: What was it like to plan the interview, conduct the interview, and work as a group on the transcript?
  • Reflecting on the Work of Peers in Egypt and Guttman: What was it like to compare your work with the work of your classmates and the students in Egypt?
  • Linked In Assignment: Due Sunday 11/21 (10 Points)
  • Please watchthis 6 min. video and either create or update your LinkedIn  After you have done this, please find me on LinkedIn and add me as a contact so I can evaluate your page.
  • The reason we’re doing this is not only because it’s good for your future job prospects, but if you complete this class with at least a C, you will earn a certificate to add to youLinkedIn profile which will show the world the great work you did in this class this semester.  You can access the video through this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KObhVdQXWdI

Due 12/12/23

  • Final Paper and Presentation
    • As an individual you must write OR present a final comparative paper. Using your own group’s interview, and the interviews conducted by your classmates atGuttman and AUC you must create a clear thesis that answers the question: What do these stories tell us about a common and divergent urban experience? How has each city’s small businesses faced the challenges of growing inequity, pandemic, and political upheaval?
    • You are required to use a minimum of six interviews throughout this essay/presentation with at least three interviews sourced from Guttman’s students and three sourced from the AUC students. You can find transcripts to all these interviews in the links below.
    • GuttmanInterviews/Photos/Transcripts and Consent Forms
    • American University of Cairo Transcripts
  • Base Final Project off Outline 
  • The outline must have…
    • A clear thesis that answers the question: What have been the common and divergent obstacles faced by small businesses in NYC and Cairo respectively over the past two years?
    • At least three body paragraphs outlined with each having a clear topic sentence that builds upon the argument you’re making in the thesis statement.
    • Under each of the three topic sentences will be at least three quotes from the oral histories that will be used as evidence.
      • These quotes must come from at least six different interviews conducted by you and/or your classmates—Three from Guttman and three from AUC.