James CourtneyJames Courtney is a Wayne State University student studying Urban Planning with a focus on Economic Development. Before attending Wayne State University he worked as a social researcher based in Washington D.C., where he studied populations in high risk locations, traveling to countries such as Afghanistan and Kenya.  The research contributed to his firm’s longitudinal study on Muslim women called the Women in Muslim Country’s or WIMC study.   In additional to this study he helped the U.S. Government and foreign governments learn more about the populations in these countries and how US Foreign Policy was impacting foreign populations opinions about the United States as well as their opinions about their home country.

James is a big cheerleader for Detroit and since returning has been involved in projects aiming to impact in neighborhoods around the city.  One such project was of residents in Southwest Detroit for a Southwest Detroit Business/Community Development organization that measured the impact of the implementation of a Business Improvement district along the neighborhoods major commercial thoroughfare.  The nonprofit has since used the research in grant proposals and to help validate the existence of the Business Improvement District and tax.

He currently works in Advertising and Marketing and holds a Marketing degree from Central Michigan University.

James is a native Detroiter and presently lives in Detroit’s Historic Brush Park neighborhood with his wife Megan and their two pets Sheeba and Spanky.

James can be reached at jamescourtney@urbanistdispatch.com

James Courtney
Get Social

James Courtney

Staff Writer at The Urbanist Dispatch
James Courtney is a former social researcher and foreign policy analyst. A native Detroiter, he lives in Detroit’s Historic Brush Park neighborhood with his wife Megan and their two pets Sheeba and Spanky.
James Courtney
Get Social

Latest posts by James Courtney (see all)