College Towns: Urbanism from a Past Era with Ryan Allen

Summary

Art Deco City From Time and JerryToday, I bring you an interview with Ryan Allen. Ryan Allen is a professor of international education at University of America in Southern California and the author of the newsletter "College Towns," which explores the intersection of higher education and urbanism. Our conversation covers his transition from academic publishing to public writing, the challenges facing higher education, and how colleges can better integrate with their communities through thoughtful urban design.The PhD trap: "We probably got to start telling people don't go do PhDs" — the job market has collapsed while universities keep churning out graduates destined for precarious employment.Universities as urban saviors: Colleges preserved walkable "pre-war" neighborhoods that would have been bulldozed for suburban sprawl elsewhere.Everyone loves universities except their neighbors: The persistent "town and gown" conflict sees locals fighting against student housing despite choosing to live near campuses.The common enemy isn't people—it's stagnation: Rather than fighting "NIMBYs," urbanists should unite against "freezing towns in amber and endless sprawl."Disney's $130 urbanism irony: Disneyland charges visitors to experience the walkable main streets that once existed naturally in every American town before suburban development destroyed them.Dave Deek: Hi Ryan, how are you doing?Ryan Allen: Dave, doing well. Doing all right. It's not quite a sunny day here in Southern California, so I think I've been lied to with that PR campaign.Dave Deek: At least it's not Houston where the weather just kind of been bipolar like it's hot and what you imagine Houston to be then it's suddenly cold and rainy and then go back to hot.Ryan Allen: Sure. Yeah. I know we Southern Californians shouldn't complain, but we certainly do a lot.Dave Deek: All right. But before we dive in, could you share what led you to write College Towns and what's your personal connection to both higher edu...