“Gownsburg” is the term I use to describe the non-academic areas of American college campuses, which in the 20th century branched out from simple workplaces for learning to become full-on urban phenomena. In the talks below I describe the notion of colleges having become cities unto themselves, some of the characteristics of these de facto cities, and the ramifications for the conventional cities that host them.
Links to audio of my talks on the concept of “Gownsburg”:
Talk at the Poynter Center for Ethics and American Institutions, 2016 February.
— Preview (9 minutes), an excerpt from the presentation, airing on the WFHB Daily Local News
— Full talk (1 hour), the full presentation and some Q&A, airing on WFHB’s Standing Room Only
Interview on WFHB’s Interchange, hosted by Doug Storm, 2016 April. Doug’s take on the notion of Gownsburg as “the child of a dysfunctional couple” is not quite the right way to think about the idea, as Gownsburgs are very much the creations of colleges alone and not a collaborative affair. Nevertheless, the interview is wide-ranging and informative.
— Full discussion (1 hour)
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