Family Questions for the Final Exam

The following are the family questions that will appear on the final exam. You'll note I did some editing in some cases.


1. In Chapter 11 of The Geography of Nowhere, what city did Kunstler single out as an example of what cities are capable of doing with expert urban planning? (1)

Answer: Portland, Oregon

2. What fault does Kunstler point out in refence to "Tomorrow Land" at Disney World? (1)

Answer: That it seems to worship technology and ignores the faults of technology and its byproducts such as pollution.

3. What major sociological theorist does Corey Dolgon cite in the Introduction to The End of the Hamptons as an inspiration to how he approached his study, and what did he draw from this theorist? (2)

Answer: Karl Marx. He drew on his notion of the importance of class struggle in history, and looking at society from the "bottom up," as a historical materialist such as Marx would.

4. What August 14, 2003 event is discussed in the video program, "The End of Suburbia," and what is its significance? (2)

Answer: A major blackout affecting the Midwest & Northeast, which should have been a wake-up call in terms of our current pattern of energy consumption.

5. What is the central theme of The End of the Hamptons? (1)

Answer: The impact of large-scale economic and social forces on the cultural politics of the region.



That's it. See you Wed. afternoon, 2-5PM.

Reminders & Final Family Activity

REMINDERS: ESSAY II is due tomorrow (Tues. 12/2). Please make every effort to get it in on time so that I will be able to grade it and get it back to you by the end of the week. Also, for those of you who saw "The End Of Suburbia" before the break and chose to do the extra credit response, that is also due tomorrow. I plan to comment on "The End of Suburbia" tomorrow and also get into The End of the Hamptons. Remember, you are to read through Chapter 2 in that book.

FINAL FAMILY ACTIVITY: The families need to begin the process of making up questions for the final exam, as you did for the midterm. These questions may be drawn from anything we covered since the midterm (that is, Chapter 3 in Heat Wave and beyond). I want each family to come up with 5 SHORT-ANSWER questions (and answers) and submit them to me via email NO LATER THAN FRIDAY NOON. I WILL NOT ACCEPT ANY SUBMISSIONS AFTER THAT DEADLINE. I will give you some time tomorrow to begin the brainstorming process. I will review your submissions and make my selections over the weekend and then post them on the blog. You will need to check them out since those selected will be on the final exam. This activity is worth 7 points and you have to participate in order to earn the 7 points.

Reminders & Next Tuesday 11/25

Yesterday (Thurs. 11/20) I wrapped up The Geography of Nowhere in class lecture. Hopefully, you have all finished reading that book by now. Remember that you need to start reading our final book, The End of the Hamptons, of which I only plan to cover pp. 1-82 in some fashion during the final week of the semester. You should also be reading that book for the sake of ESSAY II, which will be due on Tuesday 12/2 after the break.

On our next class, Tuesday 11/25, I will be handing back your papers and we'll be seeing a video entitled "The End of Suburbia: Oil Depletion and the Collapse of the American Dream." The video will take up the entire class period. If you'd like to earn 5 extra credit points, you can write a one-page response to seeing that film in which you identify and briefly discuss what you thought was the STRONGEST and WEAKEST aspect of the documentary. If you choose to do this, this one-page response will be due on the Tuesday 12/2 after the break.

Geography of Nowhere, Chapter 9 Notes & ESSAY II on The End of the Hamptons

Below are lecture notes on Chapter 9. Since tomorrow (Tues. 11/18) will be devoted to hearing about your papers, on Thursday 11/20 we'll pick up with Chapter 10. I plan to condense my notes considerably so as to finish my commentary on the book on that day.

Chapter Nine: A Place Called Home

A. Kunstler opens with an ironic observation about the number of housing starts in 1992, which is usually interpreted as an indicator of progress.
"In 1992, there were 1,200,000 housing starts."
"It's a figure that ought to send chills up the spine of a reflective person because these housing starts do not represent newly minted towns, or anything describable as real coherent communities. Rather, they represent monoculture tract developments of cookie cutter bunkers on half-acre lots in far-flung suburbs, or else houses plopped down in isolation along country roads in what had been cornfields, pastures, or woods. In any case, one can rest assured that they will only add to the problems of our present economy and American civilization. They will relate poorly to other things around them, they will eat up more countryside, and they will increase the public fiscal burden." (p. 147)

1. He then comments that his main complaint against the modern home is not so much what it looks like inside or whether, technically, it is an improvement, but how it relates or fails to relate to a town.

B. He launches into a history of architectural styles of houses going back to colonial times. He makes some interesting observations about styles and materials, but it is not until he gets to the modern, largely mass-produced home that he becomes especially critical.

1. In this context, a key late-19th century innovation was the balloon-frame, wooden home. Notes the devastating consequences this had for Chicago -- the great Chicago fire of 1871. Still, it later became the dominant building method for private homes in the already developing suburbs. See pp. 162-3. Note especially, the following critical observation:
"A far more enduring legacy of the balloon frame was that it transformed the craft of house building into an industry. In so doing it turned houses into commodities, things made above all to be sold at a profit, so that those who ended up living in them were not the same ones who built them, meaning that they were houses built without affection -- merely products whacked together for a mass market." (p. 163)

a.) Sears & Roebuck got into the business of selling mass-produced house kits.

b.) Sheetrock and plywood sheathing also came into wide use, no longer requiring skilled craftsmen to install, like plaster.

2. He mentions Frank Lloyd Wright and one of his designs which inspired the ranch style home. Then, there was the more influential model for the new post-war suburbs -- Downing's ideal of the "villa in the country," which made no pretense to be part of a city. (p. 165)

C. "By the 1920s, with the car on the scene, all the elements were in place for the mass selling of mass-produced houses to the masses of corporate toilers, except easy financing,..." Which the federal FHA and VA programs solved. (p. 166)

D. Kunstler then broadly describes the "American Dream" of postwar America in very critical terms. (See middle two paragraphs p. 166) In this context, he also comments on why American homes lack "charm," suggesting this is not a trivial point. (See middle paragraph, p. 168.)

E. He goes on to note how building codes and zoning ordinances (such as setting houses 25 feet back from the street) contribute to the degradation of housing today.

F. He also takes a whack at the home improvement industry which tries to convince relatively unskilled homeowners that they can make significant changes without much skill. Eg., comments critically on aluminum and vinyl-siding which are supposed to be, but clearly aren't, maintenance-free.

G. Finally, Kunstler comments on the American penchant for mobility, which also contributes to the debasement of our housing. The theme of "the geography of nowhere" comes through here as well. (See last paragraph, p. 173.)


That brings us up to Chapter 10, which is where I'll begin on Thursday and wrap up the rest of this book.

_______________________

Sociology 230
Essay II
11/17/08

A. Although the story of the Hamptons is unique in some ways, as Corey Dolgon is at pains to bring out in The End of the Hamptons, it does manifest some of the same problems with suburbia that we have been focusing on in this course, especially those brought out in The Geography of Nowhere. For this essay, I want you to focus on Chapter 2, Houses in Fields, and identify and briefly describe any TWO problems that resemble problems we've already discussed in this class. Also, I want you to highlight ONE feature of this story of the Hamptons that you consider UNIQUE or UNUSUAL.

B. The essay should be roughly 3-4 pages. I believe it would be appropriate to quote some relevant passages from the book, and if you do so, of course, be sure to indicate the page number(s) on which they appeared.

C. This essay is due TUESDAY, DEC. 2ND, which is the first class after the Thanksgiving break. Let me STRONGLY suggest you begin working on this BEFORE the break.

____________________________

In terms of reading The End of the Hamptons, I want you to read through the first two chapters, or pp. 1-82.

Reminder & Remainder of Notes on Chapter 8 in The Geography of Nowhere

Reminder: Paper is due next Tuesday (11/18) and be prepared to give a brief overview of your paper and comment on the photographs you took (10 minutes, maximum). The details of this paper assignment can be found in the Sept. 30th blog post.

_____________________

Remainder of notes on Chapter 8

C. Kunstler goes on to describe how Saratoga Springs developed a commercial strip on the way into town (as is evident locally, especially along West Main and Asheville highway leading into downtown Spartanburg).

1. A major reason for all the parking lots and unfriendly pedestrian environment are zoning ordinances which may have been well-intended. (He outlines the relevant zoning ordinances, mid. p. 136)

2. No effort is made to create a coherent vision of what South Broadway (the main drag into Saratoga Springs) should look like. Planners leave design questions to technical experts or traffic engineers who look at things from their narrow self-interest.

3. "The unwillingness to think about the public realm of the street in any other terms besides traffic shows how little value Americans confer on the public realm in general." (p. 138)

D. South Broadway becomes just Broadway as you enter the downtown of Saratoga Springs which has also fallen on hard times design-wise.

1. The old pattern of shops and stores of three to five stories with apartments above ground-floor retail space built up against sidewalks so pedestrians could look in shop windows, has given way to plazas and parking lots.

2. After World War II there was little interest in fixing up the old. We wanted new things. And since gas was plentiful and cheap, why not build with the car in mind? Kunstler also notes that the post-war notion that people should not be allowed to live where their business was, necessarily pushed people into suburbia and contributed significantly to the present crisis of affordable housing.

3. Notes that a lot of new construction had no other purpose but to make a profit. Eg. "The Red Barn building (fast-food joint) has only one function: the sale of cheap food in volume." This is in contrast to older buildings like the United States Hotel which also served as a public place, a social center. (Note his critical comment about a Ramada Inn built on Broadway, see mid p. 143)

E. Then, just outside Saratoga Springs, near the Interstate highway, and actually in the adjacent town of Wilton, went a shopping mall, which also helped drain the downtown (as Westgate Mall did Spartanburg's Main St.).

1. The corporation which built this mall had been guilty of attempting to buy a city counsel election in another city in order to build a mall there.

2. The mall proved a great stroke of fortune for Wilton because of the tax revenues, which allowed Wilton to eliminate residential property taxes altogether. But for how long?

3. Pretty soon another mall was proposed, a larger one. But where would they get the shoppers? Kunstler goes on to note how transitory the mall business tends to be. (see top p. 146)


That brings us to Chapter 9. I may do some more blogging of my notes given that I'd like to be wrapping this book up soon.

Individual Activity

This morning we saw "Taken for a Ride" on the demise of the electric trolley and rise of the automobile. Remember, for 5 activity points I want you to write a one-page essay addressing the broad question of how this documentary relates to Kunstler's argument in Geography of Nowhere. I am going to return the video to the library, and since everyone saw it this morning I am just going to return this video to general circulation. I am not going to put it on reserve.

Continue reading in Geography of Nowhere, and don't forget the paper assignment which is based on Chapters 7 & 8. That assignment is due on Tuesday, Nov. 18th.

See you next tuesday, Nov. 11th.

Remainder of Chapter 5 in Geography of Nowhere

Below are the remaining comments I planned to make about this chapter on architectural styles, especially the rise of "Modernism" and how it contributed to creating the "geography of nowhere."

1. Kunstler characterizes the utopian-socialist ideas of the Bauhaus architects, who would eventually have a great impact on America. (See p. 71, first two paragraphs) Basically, "They romanticized the machine and embraced the growing mechanization of life as a wonderful development." (p. 71)

a) He also mentions Le Corbusier in this regard and his belief that "the house is a machine for living." (p. 72)

2. These architects fled to America when Hitler came to power, and because they were anti-Hitler they became part of the cultural establishment of America. And given that we were in for a period of considerable industrial and residential development after World War II, these architects and their "vision" had an inordinate influence.

3. Philip Johnson, a disciple of one of the architects connected with what was called "The International Style" made a revealing admission in an 1989 interview -- "The International Style did sweep the world because it came along at the same time developers wanted to make cheap buildings, and this was cheaper than other architectures." (pp. 80-81)

4. Eventually, along came Robert Venturi who ushered in the postmodern phase with his 1967 book, which Kunstler broadly characterizes as follows: "Where Modernists had championed an architecture that was 'heroic and original,' Venturi now called for one that dared to be 'ugly and ordinary.'" (p. 81)

a.) In some of his most biting sarcasm, Kunstler comments further on just how "ugly and ordinary" this postmodern approach was --

"As for the bad urbanism of the strip, the complete lack of relationship between buildings, the obliteration of human scale, the tyranny of the car -- no problem. 'We might not like cars, but a large part of the population does,' Venturi had written earlier. It was a 'taste culture' issue. They were like stoned graduate students on a field trip, their critical faculties gone up in smoke." (p. 82)

Also, commenting on some of the buildings that came out of this -- "As if to say, 'Here, you nation of morons, is another inevitably banal, cheap concrete box, of the only type your sordid civilization allows, topped by some cheap and foolish ornament worthy of your TV-addled brains.'" (p.83)

5. Finally, let me call your attention to a nice summary statement in the last paragraph of the chapter. See p. 84.


That brings us up to Chapter 6, Joyride, which chronicles the rise of the automobile and the demise of the electric trolley. We'll focus on the demise of the electric trolley and the forces behind that (pp. 90-92) when we see "Taken for a Ride" next Tuesday, 11/4.

Family Midterm Exam Questions

Below are the midterm exam questions that I accepted. You'll note that I did edit the questions and answers to some extent.

GREEN FAMILY: (earns 3 points + 1 bonus point)

1. Give TWO examples of how Portland, Oregon has avoided the negative aspects of sprawl. (2pts)

ANSWER: Any two of the following:(a)State of Oregon imposed "growth boundaries" around cities, which helped to protect forests and farms and open space and forced cities like Portland to concentrate on their downtowns.
(b) Portland tore up a downtown freeway and converted the area to a park.
(c) limited downtown parking spaces.
(d) developed an integrated transit system of buses and light rail, and bikes.
(e) controlled "big box" stores from springing up by limiting their size and the number of parking spaces they could have.

2. Identify any ONE of the three defining characteristics of the city and the social consequences of this characteristic, which Wirth presents in his famous essay, "Urbanism as a Way of Life." (2pts)

ANSWER: Any one of the following: (a) large population -- diversity; more reliance on formal social control and secondary groups. (b) high population density -- more specialization; more anti-social behavior. (c)increased social heterogeneity -- depersonalization; personal relations based more on money.


YELLOW FAMILY: (earns 3 points)

1. Name and briefly describe TWO ways urban sprawl is damaging. (2pts)

ANSWER: Any TWO of the following: (a) Environmentally -- eats up land, natural resources; dependence on cars leads to pollution. (b) Economically -- sprawl development is heavily subsidized -- it costs more in terms of services than it contributes in terms of taxes. (c) City life & culture -- sprawl robs cities of businesses, people. Historical landmarks and buildings in the city suffer due to declining tax base, and lower classes are stuck in cities with minimal social sevices.


BLUE FAMILY: (earns 3 points)

1. Identify any TWO traits of urbanites that come through in Simmel's essay, "Metropolis and Mental Life." (2pts)

ANSWER: Any two of the following: (a) rational, (b) calculating, (c) time conscious, (d) blase attitude.


Remember these questions will be on the midterm exam. See you next Tuesday.

Quoted Passage & Reminder

The first long passage I quoted yesterday (10/7) was an important overall critical comment on Louis Wirth, which I believe goes to the heart of a weakness in much of the classical urban sociology we covered:

"Wirth's mistake, and that of other classic theorists, was to allow the most visible aspects of city life, its PUBLIC demeanor, to become the basis of his theory about urban living in general. Although, following Park, he did acknowledge the neighborhood element in city life, he tended to focus his attention on 'street behavior.' Wirth saw, of course, the hustling, competing, apparently lonely crowd. By not examining more closely the PRIVATE lives of the city's citizens, he inadvertently distorted urban life into a stereotype of impersonality."
"We are led, then, to the conclusion that the early study of both rural and urban places suffered from what might be called a 'misplaced concreteness.'...There is an important difference between the statement that one commonly sees more strangers in cities and the statement that cities are impersonal. In some ways they are; in other ways they most certainly are not."

Then, in making a quick transition to the urban political economy perspective, I quoted the authors of the text saying the following:
"The new urban sociology which has emerged in the wake of the classical urbanists' failing theories, sees the city as existing in a complex historical, cultural, and economic setting. All these elements play a role in how the city operates, and all must be carefully examined by systematic research."
But, as I went on to stress, the urban political economy perspective especially emphasizes politics and economics, of course, above all other institutions.


REMINDER: Tomorrow (Thurs. 10/9) I will quickly wrap up the urban political economy view, and then move right into Heat Wave. You should be well into that book by now. Tomorrow, I will also give the families a little time to brainstorm some midterm exam questions (and some time next Tuesday). Finally, don't forget that your first essay is due next Tuesday 10/14.

Family Activity: Making Up Midterm Exam Questions & Reminders

As I announced last week, our midterm exam will be coming up in two weeks -- Tuesday, Oct. 21st, to be precise. In preparation for that I am going to give you an opportunity to make up some of the questions which will appear on that test. This family activity is described below:

FAMILY ACTIVITY: MAKING UP EXAM QUESTIONS: I will give the families some time in class this week, beginning on Thurs. 10/9, to brainstorm some midterm exam questions. I will also give you some time next Tuesday, 10/14 to confer with your family members. I want each family to come up with THREE SHORT-ANSWER questions (and answers) based on anything we've covered in class since the beginning of the term. This would include: lecture notes including notes and passages posted on this blog, any handouts, and however far we get in Heat Wave by the end of next week. You will need to come to some consensus on your three best questions, because I WILL ONLY ACCEPT THREE QUESTIONS FROM EACH FAMILY. I will then look them over and select at least ONE question from each family. However, for each additional question I accept, that family will earn a bonus point. So, it is possible to earn 2 bonus points for this exercise, and there will be the added advantage of knowing more of the questions on the test. ALL QUESTIONS (AND ANSWERS) MUST BE SUBMITTED AS A COMMENT ON THIS BLOG POST BY 1PM, WEDNESDAY 10/15 -- NO EXCEPTIONS. I want to be able to look over your questions and make my selections by Thursday 10/16, when I wil set aside some class time for review. This activity is worth 3 points.


REMINDERS: Keep in mind that we will be making a transition to Heat Wave this week, most likely on Tuesday. For the sake of class and your essay which is due in a week, you should try to read through Chapter 2 this week.

Quoted passage

Before I post the passage I quoted yesterday (which you should incorporate in your notes of course), let me call your attention to the blog post for yesterday which is a description of the longer paper you will be required to do. I do not plan to hand out a hard copy, so you will need to refer to that blog post when you get ready to start working on it.

The only passage I quoted yesterday underscored an important difference between Durkheim and Tonnies and their views of the city:

"Although both theorists recognized that cities were associated with the growth of social differentiation and individuality, Tonnies feared the undermining of the very fabric of social life, whereas Durkheim saw the possibility of continuing social cohesion and greater human development."

We'll start tomorrow with Georg Simmel's "Metropolis and Mental Life". And we will begin to talk about Heat Wave next week. Also, a reminder to the Green family to post your case against sprawl. If it is not up by tomorrow, you will not get any credit for it.

Paper Assignment

I got some time after class today to put together a description of the longer paper I want you to do for this course (see below). And to save paper I am going to post it here. You will note that it is not due for roughly a month and a half.

Sociology 230
Paper Assignment
9/30/08

A. Chapters 7 & 8 in The Geography of Nowhere contain some of author, James Kunstler's, most hard-hitting and perhaps controversial criticisms of the kind of housing subdivisions and suburbs we've been building in America for roughly the past half-century. In this paper I want you to identify and discuss any FIVE such criticisms he makes in these two chapters, and then discuss the relevance of these points to an existing subdivision or suburb around Spartanburg or other city you may be familiar with and can visit. Based on your observations, would you agree or disagree with Kunstler's points? Moreover, I want you to discuss how that place you observed might be improved if you had the political and financial capital to do so. Finally, as an Appendix, I want you to take TWO photographs of the place you observed: one of what you see as the BEST aspect of that place, and one of what you see as the WORST aspect. As a caption to each photograph, provide a brief explanation as to your choices of best and worst.

B. The paper should be roughly 8 pages, including the appendix. Please be sure to indicate the page number(s) of any passages from The Geography of Nowhere that you quote in your paper. Also, if you do consult any additional sources, including Internet sources (which is NOT required), please list them in a bibliography at the end.

C. This paper is due TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18TH, at which time we will begin class presentations of your paper. This assignment counts 50 points (40 for the paper and 10 for the class presentation).

Family Activity Reminder & Some Lecture Notes

First, DON'T FORGET TO POST YOUR FAMILY CASE FOR "SMART GROWTH" AND AGAINST SPRAWL BY NEXT MONDAY (9/29). Check the previous blog post for a description of what I want you to do, and as I added yesterday, please put those three points in context or provide an introduction to them. I don't want just 3 points. We will review these on Tuesday (9/30) and determine which is the best case. Also on Tuesday, I will begin to talk about some of the main theoretical perspectives on the city, and once we wrap that up, we will move on to our first book, Heat Wave.

I had a few final observations about the most recent trends in urbanization in the U.S. We wrapped up sprawl on Thursday, so let me add the following:

F. In this chapter the authors also cover some other recent urban developments which I just want to touch on.

1. First, perhaps the ultimate in terms of decentralization is the development of so-called "EDGE CITIES." ( a term coined by Joel Garreau)

a.) "An edge city is a new, sprawling, middle-class, automobile-dependent center typically located at the fringe of an older urban area, at the intersection of major highways where little except villages or farmland existed three decades earlier." (p.118)

b.) Some 200 such edge cities have developed such as Tyson's Corners, VA. Joel Garreau interviewed some Tysons Corners' residents and got a very dim view --
"They described the area as plastic, a hodge podge, Disneyland (used as a pejorative), and sterile. They said it lacked livability, civilization, community, neighborhood, even a soul." Not very flattering. Perhaps due to its newness, low-density, auto dependent.

2. Second, the rise of GATED COMMUNITIES (among the first of which was Sea Pines on Hilton Head Island) -- over 20,000 today; 9 million people. 80% of new urban housing developments are gated. (also referred to as "Common Interest Developments")

a.) Represents a withdrawal or secession from the city. Privatized functions such as sanitation and security. Trying to insulate themselves from the city and not participate in solving city problems. Reinforces class and racial segregation. Homeowners' associations impose often ridiculous rules to protect property values. (Whatever happened to our belief in individuality and creativity?)

b.) Professor of Public Policy, Robert Reich, refers to these gated communities as "privately policed fortress communities."

G. Finally, (as discussed in the handout and on the video) the authors present the case study of Portland, Oregon, which appears to have been successfully resisting some of these trends, especially the negative aspects of sprawl.


That's all for now.

Passages From Yesterday & First Family Activity

Below are the longer passages I quoted in class yesterday (Thurs. 9/18):
First, a passage which relates to the point that we are living with the implications of decisions made years ago.
"For example, the change in public preference from urban to suburban living owes much to federal legislation in the late 1940s and 1950s that provided low-cost builder and buyer loans, as well as to a massive highway-building program that made it easier to live away from city jobs and activities. That growth in middle-class suburban housing, and the subsequent exodus of many businesses to suburban campuses or shopping malls, eroded the city's economic vitality and tax base, which, in turn, worsened the quality of life for many city dwellers who remained. The suburban lifestyles that most North Americans favor today, as well as the problems besetting many U.S. cities, are the result of social forces unleashed two generations ago." (p.108)

Second, the rather long-winded, and clearly slanted definition of SPRAWL:
"SPRAWL is the term used to describe spread-out or low-density development beyond the edge of services and employment. It separates where people live from where they work, shop, and pursue leisure or an education, thereby requiring them to use cars to move between these zones. This type of development results from decades of unplanned, rapid growth and poor land-use management. Sprawl thus identifies the cumulative effects of development that is automobile-dependent, inefficient and wasteful of natural resources." (p. 108)

FIRST FAMILY ACTIVITY:
Following the viewing of "Understanding Urban Sprawl" next Tuesday (9/23), the families will have an opportunity to brainstorm the main points made in the video. I will also hand out a recent article on sprawl which each member of the family should read. Then, in the context of the video and the article, as well as points I made in class about sprawl, I want each family to identify what you believe are the THREE strongest points you would make if you had fifteen minutes with the leading politicians and businesspeople of a community to convince them to adopt a higher-density, "smart growth" approach to development.I will also give you some time in class on Thursday (9/25) to discuss this with your family. Each family should designate a family member to post your case as a comment on this blog by MONDAY, SEPT. 29TH. We will review and critique them in class and the family with what is judged to be the strongest argument will win a bonus point for this exercise. This activity is worth 5 points, AND ALL FAMILY MEMBERS MUST WATCH THE VIDEO, READ THE ARTICLE, AND PARTICIPATE IN YOUR DISCUSSIONS IN ORDER TO EARN THE 5 POINTS.

That's all for now. Remember to make every effort to be in class next Tuesday so you can see the video program.

Quoted Passages

Below are the passages I quoted in yesterday's class (Tues. 9/16):

First, with regard to the point that economic considerations were among the most important reasons for the trend toward decentralization of cities:
"By about 1950, more and more businesses, particularly in industry and manufacturing, were moving away from the industrial districts of central cities. The costs of refurbishing older buildings were high and, given high rents, expansion wasn't always possible. Further, some new assemblyline procedures required large, low-level structures rather than multistory buildings characteristic of an earlier era. Concerns over rising crime rates, taxes, and traffic congestion also played their part in a proliferation of new 'industrial parks' in the outer urban areas. Workers often moved from the central city to be near their relocated jobs. The result was a growth in suburban population and a decline in central-city population." (p.80)

The Bureau of the Census's definition of MSA (Metropolitan Statistical Area):
"...at least one city with 50,000 or more inhabitants, the county or counties containing the city, and any surrounding counties that have a high population density and a large proportion of inhabitants commuting to and from the central city." (p. 82)

In the context of the authors of the text discussion of Sunbelt City Expansion, they made the following important point always seeking to ESCAPE rather than IMPROVE our existing cities or suburbs:
"The pattern is nothing new. Throughout North American history, people have come to cities for the amenities they offered -- jobs, education, the arts, and so on. When the cities become too crowded, a large percentage of people move on to what they perceive as greener pastures -- the suburbs, the Sunbelt, anyplace where the streets are safer, the smog less oppressive, the cost of living lower, the jobs more plentiful. In time, these areas too begin to deteriorate as the 'secret' of more comfortable living gets around and others descend on the area. California and other Sunbelt states are now beginning to experience this declining quality-of-life problem. The question is: Where will we go, now that our older inner suburbs and our Sunbelt cities are experiencing the same deterioration and overload that the Snowbelt cities experienced not so very long ago?"
"Perhaps the answer is not to move at all but rather to attend to the problems of the city as they arise. Perhaps the urban core and all the amenities it has to offer could be salvaged if we were more attentive and less willing to pick up stakes and move the moment difficulties arise." (p. 88)

I have a few more comments about the coming of the Postindustrial City, and then we are going to turn our attention specifically to suburbs and sprawl. Next Tuesday (9/23) we'll see our first video presentation, "Understanding Urban Sprawl," and I may combine that with a little family exercise. See you tomorrow.

Passages from Text & Reminder

First, in the context of talking about London, I quoted the following passage which made a general and valuable point about the vital link between a thriving city and the advance of cultural ideas (such as Shakespeare's plays):
"First, a dynamic city draws to it people from different backgrounds. As the population grows, the possibilities of permutations and combinations of ideas and lifestyles became legion. Second, a thriving city is usually a wealthy city, and there has been a very intimate historical link between wealth and the development of cultural ideas. Simply, wealth supports leisure. Creative artists with wealthy patrons or buyers for their work can literally afford to develop their art in ways that would be impossible if leisure time were not available. In addition, the rich demand drama, architecture, and music, thereby enhancing the creative arts in another way."

Second, in commenting on the tensions and violence stemming from the influx of so many immigrants to our major cities around the turn of the 20th century, I quoted the following near the end of class:
"Another problem of the times was that large-scale immigration sparked an increasingly bitter reaction against newcomers. It was not just their numbers. By 1900, immigrants were more often from southern and eastern Europe, more likely to be Roman Catholic or Jewish than Protestant, and more likely to have darker eyes, hair, and skin tone than whites of northern and western European descent. Moreover, these newcomers often had manners and dress that made them stand out as 'different.' These 'less desirable' immigrants added significantly to anti-city sentiment because, even more than earlier arrivals, they were overwhelmingly urban settlers."

Next Tuesday I will then pick up with the final segment of this historical overview of the city -- The North American City of Today: 1950 to the Present -- which I will cover in a bit more detail and which we will be reading about, of course, when we get into the books.

REMINDER: Please don't forget to post your urban impressions, the first blog exercise NO LATER THAN NEXT MONDAY, SEPT. 15TH. And remember, it is worth 5 points.

Passages from the Text

As promised, below is the passage I quoted yesterday in class. At some point you should insert these in your notes in the appropriate place. In talking about the earliest cities, the authors suggest this was something of a "mixed blessing."

"This, then, was the period of the first urban revolution. From approximately 4000 B.C.E. (before the Christian era) to 500 C.E. (Christian era), urban sites multiplied and their populations grew to sizes previously unknown in human history. (Rome at its apex surpassed 1 million people)."
"In retrospect, the first urban revolution appears to have been something of a mixed blessing. The city's greatest positive attributes are its ability to improve people's standard of living, provide choice in the conduct of life, and stimulate the human imagination. On the other hand, these first cities also had rigid social class divisions that extended the city's benefits to only a small minority of the urban population. With the emergence of city-states and urban empires, human warfare and bloodshed rose to unparalleled levels." (pp. 32-33)

And note that I expressed some doubts as to whether the city is really to blame for war.

On Thursday we'll quickly survey the rest of European urban history, and then begin to focus on America, especially the period from 1950 to the present. And now that you all should have the correct URL for this blog, don't forget to respond to the little exercise I posted last week.

My First Lecture

I apologize for a rather boring first lecture. Presenting this textual material in an interesting way is always a challenge, and I felt I didn't rise to the challenge yesterday. Nonetheless, we'll carry on, but in the near future I may begin posting some of these notes rather than present them in class. Let me also take this opportunity to remind you about the little exercise I posted on Tuesday, Sept. 2nd. You need to respond to it by next Friday, Sept. 12th.

Introductory Exercise: Urban Impressions

The following exercise is intended primarily to get you familiar with commenting on our course blog, however, I may revisit the following topic later in the semester after you've learned more about the city.

In ONE or TWO paragraphs, I'd like you to write about your experiences of visiting or living in a large city (roughly 250,000 pop. or more). General impressions are fine but also include at least ONE particular exerpience you had which you believe is indicative of urban life in America today.

Please post your comment NO LATER THAN FRIDAY, SEPT. 12TH.

This exercise is worth 5 activity points.

Welcome to Urban Sociology

I'd like to take this opportunity to welcome everyone to this Soc. 230 blog. I will be using this throughout the semester for a variety of purposes, but mainly to give you another outlet for discussion, questions, comments, occasional extra credit opportunities, etc.. I will have more to say on all this during our first class meeting next week Tuesday, Sept. 2nd. Prof. Ginocchio