Populism on the far left and the far right is reshaping the contemporary city and the urban condition. In this special short-form section, we put forward populism, art and the city as a linked theoretical and methodological framework through the UC Berkeley Global Urban Humanities Initiative. Our conversations brought together new research in urban studies, art, architecture, public policy, and performance studies into what many people described as a decidedly populist age. Following a short introduction, we share a collection of four papers from such conversations that offer ‘focus sites’ from San Francisco to Palm Springs, Hong Kong to Mexico City, with a diverse set of theoretical proposals that branch from our discussions and shared readings in art, populism, and the city.

Student Articles include-• “Demanding the city: Traces of the UN 50 protests in San Francisco” by Jeff Garnard• “Is forensic architecture the new muralism of the Mexican state? A reflection on racialized violence and the construction of Mexican identity” by Tania Osario Harp• “All that is solid? Movement, repurposed lives and a cardboard citizenry” by Connie Zheng• “Gay desert modern: Sexuality, architecture and indigeneity in Palm Springs, California” by Xander Lenc