SOC 270 Urban Sociology

What are the effects of urbanism on human psychology and civic life? How does urbanization structure social and economic relations as well as signifying identities and cultural meanings? Is there a common "human ecology" of cities in "natural areas" such as the CBD skid row the "Tenderloin" or the "zone-in-transition"? We examine the urban underclass through case studies of the African American ghetto and Spanish Harlem with attention to public policy perspectives on urban poverty. Urban futures are considered through gentrification growth machine boosterism (sports and convention centers) and urban theme parking.