City Life Chapter Summaries

Urban studies aims to develop an understanding the modern city metropolis. As Savage et al. have pointed out, the urban encompasses far more than just the physical city itself; understanding the city help us to understand many aspects of modern life (2003, pp.4). Many of its features, such as mass media and public transport systems have spread throughout society over the past century. Sociological studies of urban life began with the landmark publication of 'The City' in 1925 by sociologists Robert Park, Ernest Burgess and Louis Wirth from the University of Chicago, students of Georg Simmel who shared his belief that the urban environment changed man's

Before getting into the background of what makes New York City the “Supreme” city it is considered today, it is imperative for all to understand the hardships faced by those who attempted to make a difference. Individuals ventured through the sacred gates with only promise of wealth and happiness to feed the ambition in their souls. Soon thereafter, Tammany was formed, to provide protection and bind the people of each borough. Being part of Tammany created a unified and compact community, which was what strengthened each neighborhood. Jimmy Walker, the Mayor of New York City between 1926 and 1932, grew up in a Tammany neighborhood. Understanding the struggles encountered by people in his community, caused

In Chapter 2 of the text “Slavery, Emancipation, and Class formation in colonial and Early National New York” explores the centrality of slave labor and race to the development of class relations in colonial and early national New York City. In the 1600’s slave labor was noted as the central point to New York’s colonial economy and to the survival of European culture. The North colonial economy relied more heavily on slavery for free laborer than Manhattan. As a result of the slave era African American males and females became to central force and the foundation of New Yorkers ‘slave economy. Between 1600 and 1738 the slave population

Eric Larson pulled me in once I read the title of the first chapter, “The Black City”. What locked me in, however, was when Larson expressed women in the city and the dangers of being a female during the specific time period. Public warnings addressing that “advertisements upon their face bear the marks of vulgarity, nor do we regard it safe for any lady to answer such unseemly utterances” (Larson pg 11) make it clear that there is a problem. Although it seemed like a lot of information to grasp in the moment, looking back I’ve noticed that the author left room for me to picture what these criminals wanted from such innocent women.

In studying the different concepts of urban development, both the Chicago and the LA Schools have make distinctive but yet contrasting impacts on the fields of New Urban Sociology and Socio-spatial approaches to urbanism. The ways that these two schools make their respective contributions but yet with opposing ideals are as follows: The Chicago School 1). focuses on connecting social phenomenon with spatial patterns and the linkages between the central business districts (CBD), spatial distribution, and social life; 2). the Chicago School takes into account an interactionist perspective where individuals were studied in interaction with others, and the emergent forms of socialization that came out of that interaction. This school of thought focused on the individual in urban socio-spatial locations and tried to show patterns of human adjustment to socio-spatial location (environment). This approach developed along the biological laws of survival of the

Throughout the course of Introduction to African American Studies many of the themes we discussed connected to Freedom. I chose the theme Freedom In The City because there were many forms of freedom that African Americans faced. For example, for my book review I had to read The Life and Times of Fredrick Douglass. Fredrick Douglass experienced physical, emotional and intellectual freedom. Douglass’ mistress was chastised by her husband for trying to educate Douglass on how to read and write. Douglass grasped the idea that real freedom came from the skill of being able to read and write. The slave masters did not want their slaves to have the ability to read because if they could read for themselves they would be unqualified to be a slave. Also

In Bright Lights Big City by Jay Mclnerney, the story starts off with a young man, the protagonist, in a club in New York. Early on in the book it is very clear that he has a negative attitude toward the city. In the Past, New York once was this beautiful illusion for him; he had a gorgeous wife, a job at a prestigious magazine and friends who were well off. This illusion was completely cracked once his wife, Amanda, left him, but it had started to crack when his mother had died. The lights went out for him and the protagonist clearly recognizes that he had been living in a fantasy life and this realization lead him to have an ill attitude toward New York.

Analysis Essay for “My City” “My City” was written by James Weldon Johnson in 1923. This poem represents the different aspects Manhattan has in its city. In the poem “My City”, James Weldon Johnson used concrete sensory details, repetition, personification, and a rhetorical question to show what he will miss in the city he lives in when he dies. “My City” is a poem that has fourteen lines and two stanzas, also known as a Petrarchan sonnet. In these two stanzas the author uses literary techniques to portray the meaning of the poem.

Living in the city in the late nineteenth century had a good amount of positive and negative aspects. One of the positives was that there were very many new job opportunities with all the factories and construction being built. More means of transportation were available in the city, such as trolleys, railroads, and steam driven cars. There was a common focus of increasing and improving the museums, art galleries, amusement parks, and skyscrapers. Many people in the city were ready to move forward technologically to better progress in America. However, there are arguably more amount of negative aspects than there are positive. There were little to no rules and regulations, that in modern times would seem absurd not to have in place. Poor

People move to different cities all around the world. There are expectations and standards when living in a city. Upon deciding what city to live in, people take into consideration the necessities a city should offer. Elements like shelter, food, proximity to people, diversity, work, transportation, entertainment, etc are all important for survival and convenience. The surroundings in a city effect everyone, and depending on past experiences and one’s personal abilities, a surrounding or an area is different to everyone. Something once known as easy can be completely altered. The way a city is set up and organized also effects society. For some, necessary elements can become a living nightmare because of ongoing changes. The root of everything

Life. The most colossal rollercoaster of them all. An ecstasy of blessings. That is, if one chooses for it to be. All humans are given a place in this world, having no choice of the certain circumstances one might enter. In this century, France can be viewed as a luxurious travel destination, a place to gnaw on large bagettes whilst watching the Eiffel Tower dazzle in the dusk sky. Though, rewind the clock to nearly 250 years ago, and the lavish country was undergoing complete and utter turmoil, led by vicious upheaval and outrage. Ingeniously written by Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities takes place during this disastrous time. However, despite the intense violence during this historical time frame, Dickens is able to beautifully incorporate

In the novel Another City many of the authors have their own opinions of how Los Angeles is or how it shapes them as a person. Other stories are very short and tell stories of how Los Angeles isn’t as great a place even though we may have people fooled to think so. In the short story Interesting Times the author Judith Lewis tells us about how she adjusted to living in Los Angeles and how she views the city before and after lives there. Whether she felt she didn’t belong, people were too distracted with their own lives, or people were united by tragic events, Los Angeles became her home and a place she lived in interesting times. These themes come up often in the story and are the base of how Lewis feels about Los Angeles as she settles in to the new city.

With such an instance, Simmel argues that human interactions become short and influential therefore missing the expressive and personal participation of small societies. The metropolis rise of physical stimulus intimidates the man into being coherent and influential in his social interactions. The individual will have to screen out much inducement to be able psychologically to manage with its degree. Therefore, the megalopolis mental life is essentially knowledgeable, not expressive (Simmel 33). Simmel argues that societies are confined to time, functioning on the chronometer. All aspects in the city are quantifiable, the qualitative value is decreased to quantifiable, and this produces whatever Simmel defines as nonchalant, which implies shallowness, dullness, insignificance and

Urban areas have very unique social characteristics that have been identified and pondered for many years. Why is it more socially acceptable to say hello to a complete stranger walking down the street in Holland than it is in Manhattan? What makes people view the homeless differently in a small town versus a large city? People have often wondered what makes cities so socially different than any other area in society. Louis Wirth published his theories on ideas like this in his 1938 article Urbanism as a Way of Life. Contrary to many other theologians, Wirth explains the scarcity of interpersonal relations in urban areas through population density and specialization.

          The city I propose as a perfect city, would be as close to an ecocity as possible, although have some differences. For example, for electrical needs, I would suggest the city have a solar power plant, but on those desperate times, energy would be bought from other electrical plants from nearby towns or states.