Cities and Urban Life, Third Edition

Product DescriptionAuthored by two of the best-known writers in the field, this third edition of Cities and Urban Life provides a comprehensive introduction to urban sociology, urban anthropology, and urban studies. Primarily sociological in approach, it incorporates historical, social, psychological, geographical, and anthropological insights. The book, while strongly focused on the classical theories of urban sociology, also gives extensive attention to the “new” political economy approach to urban studies, using global cities as case studies to provide more relevance. Due to the increasing trend of urbanization, this book is especially relevant for today's urban sociologists, urban anthropologists, and others involved in urban planning.From the Back CoverAuthored by two of the best-known writers in the field, this third edition of Cities and Urban Life provides a comprehensive introduction to urban sociology, urban anthropology, and urban studies. Primarily sociological in approach, it incorporates historical, social, psychological, geographical, and anthropological insights. The book, while strongly focused on the classical theories of urban sociology, also gives extensive attention to the “new” political economy approach to urban studies, using global cities as case studies to provide more relevance. Due to the increasing trend of urbanization, this book is especially relevant for today's urban sociologists, urban anthropologists, and others involved in urban planning.Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.Now that we have entered a new century-indeed, a new millennium-the world stands on the brink of a historic landmark: In a few years, a majority of the planet's people will live in cities. Urban living is rapidly becoming the norm for members of our species. Surely, there is no more compelling reason to undertake the study of cities and urban life.THE BASIC APPROACHThe approach of this text is multidisciplinary but fundamentally sociological. Readers will find here the enduring contributions of the classical European social thinkers, including Max Weber, Karl Marx, Ferdinand Tunnies, Georg Simmel, and Emile Durkheim, as well as those of early pioneers in North America, including Robert Park and Louis Wirth. Of course, many men and women have stood on the shoulders of these giants and extended our understanding. Thus, this text also considers the ideas of a host of contemporary urbanists, including Henri Lefebvre, Jane. Jacobs, Manuel Castells, John Logan, Harvey Molotch, Kevin Lynch, Lyn Lofland, Carol Stack, Herbert Gans, Michael Sorkin, and Michael Dear.Yet, as this string of well-known names suggests, urban studies rests on research and theory developed within many disciplines. Cities and Urban Life, therefore, is truly a multidisciplinary text that draws together the work of historians (Chapter 2: "The Origins and Development of the World's Cities," and Chapter 3: "The Development of North American Cities"); sociologists (Chapter 4: "Cities and Suburbs of the Twenty First Century," Chapter 5: "Urban Sociology: The Classic Statements," Chapter 10: "Social Class: Urban and Suburban Lifestyles," Chapter 11: "Race, Ethnicity, and Gender: Urban Diversity," and Chapter 12: "Housing, Education, (:rime: Confronting Urban Problems"); social psychologists (Chapter 6: "Social Psychology: The Urban Experience"); geographers and urban ecologists (Chapter 7: "Geography and Spatial Perspectives: Making Sense of Space"); political economists working within various disciplines (Chapter 9: "The New Urban Sociology: The City and Capitalism"); anthropologists (Chapter 8: "Comparative Urbanism: The City and Culture," and Chapter 13: "Cities in the Developing World"); and architects as well as city planners (Chapter 14: "Planning the Urban Environment").THE ORGANIZATION OF THIS TEXTPart I of the text, "Understanding the City," introduces the main questions and themes that resonate throughout the book (
Author: Parrillo, Vincent N.

Publisher: Pearson College Div

Binding: Hardcover

Language: English

ISBN-10: 013111395X

ISBN-13: 9780131113954