Metropolis: Center and Symbol of Our Times (Main Trends of the Modern World) [Paperback]

Philip Kasinitz (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1, 1994 | ISBN-10: 0814746403 | ISBN-13: 978-0814746400

The modern city is the nexus of culture, politics, and art. Despite the manifold problems cities face, more and more Americans are abandoning rural areas and relocating to urban centers. By the year 2000, 4 out of 5 Americans will live within one hour of a major city. What has prompted this emphasis on the city? Chronicling the rise of the modern city, Metropolis draws from the work of such renowned social thinkers as Georg Simmel, Lewis Mumford, Walter Benjamin, Richard Sennett, and Herbert Gans, to illustrate how and why we have come to be an urban society and what the future holds for the American city. Each of the five sections (on modernity and the urban ethos; New York City; community and social bonds in the city; social relations and public places; and the role of space, race, class, and politics in the American city) is prefaced by an introduction by the editor, highlighting the issues under discussion.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Philip Kasinitz is Associate Professor of Sociology at Hunter College and author of Caribbean New York: Black Immigrants and the Politics of Race.

Product Details

• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: NYU Press (December 1, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0814746403
• ISBN-13: 978-0814746400
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.4 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #492,759 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A fairly comprehensive anthology of urban sociology texts, January 11, 2009

By 

C. Lee "megadork" (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Metropolis: Center and Symbol of Our Times (Main Trends of the Modern World) (Paperback)

I would actually rate this a 4 star book, but I'm so disgusted by the reviewer who chose to give this a 1 star review simply because a non-amazon marketplace associate sold him a defective copy that I'm trying to cancel out his negative effects.

Anyway, this is a fairly comprehensive collection of notable texts concerning the onset of urban sociology (and the study of modernity by implicit inclusion). Some of the selections seem a bit incongruous, such as the inclusion of the Benjamin piece in Part 1, but Kasinitz is a pretty good editor, and the introductions he provides to each thematic part help keep the work as a whole from seeming arbitrary and disconnected.

If you're looking for an overarching theme, you'll probably be disappointed. Rather, each part (there are five) provides a snapshot of thought and theory of the evolution of urban sociology since its inception. So if you're looking for a profound modern argument or hypothesis on the state of the city in the 21st or even late 20th century, you'll be disappointed. If you're looking to get a broad grasp of the evolution of thought with regards to or an introduction to urban sociology, though, this is a very capable book, especially the firs two parts, which includes texts from important notables Lewis Mumford, Georg Simmel, Louis Wirth, Le Corbusier, and Jane Jacobs.

0 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Sociology is not my bag, November 24, 2008

By 

Book Diva (Portland, OR) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Metropolis: Center and Symbol of Our Times (Main Trends of the Modern World) (Hardcover)

The book was a compilation of essays from numerous individuals. Some of the writings were clear and understandable. Others were wordy and unnecessary. If you enjoy urban studies and reading about it, this might be just what you are looking for.

0 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars torn out pages, October 19, 2008

By 

Ifunanya Enezuagu "booker" (new york, ny (harlem baby)) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Metropolis: Center and Symbol of Our Times (Main Trends of the Modern World) (Paperback)

I know i was buying a used book but i was not told over 50 pages will be torn out of the book. Very unprofessional and very deceitful. The book was missing chapter after chapter and i was not told ahead of time.!