The New Chicago: A Social and Cultural Analysis [Paperback]

John Koval (Editor), Larry Bennett (Editor), Michael Bennett (Editor), Fassil Demissie (Editor), Roberta Garner (Editor), Kiljoong Kim (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 28, 2006

For generations, visitors, journalists, and social scientists alike have asserted that Chicago is the quintessentially American city. Indeed, the introduction to "The New Chicago" reminds us that 'to know America, you must know Chicago'. The authors boldly announce the demise of the city of broad shoulders and the transformation of its physical, social, cultural, and economic institutions into a new Chicago. In this wide-ranging book, twenty scholars, journalists, and activists, relying on data from the 2000 census and many years of direct experience with the city, identify five converging forces in American urbanization which are reshaping this storied metropolis. The twenty-six essays included here analyze Chicago by way of globalization and its impact on the contemporary city; economic restructuring; the evolution of machine-style politics into managerial politics; physical transformations of the central city and its suburbs; and, race relations in a multicultural era. In elaborating on the effects of these broad forces, contributors detail the role of eight significant racial, ethnic, and immigrant communities in shaping the character of the new Chicago and present ten case studies of innovative governmental, grassroots, and civic action. Multi-faceted and authoritative, "The New Chicago" offers an important and unique portrait of an emergent and new 'Windy City'.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"I don't know of any single work on another American city that undertakes quite the mission of this work in scope. If I were seeking a single volume that summed up life in a place, this might well be the best of them. For Chicago, there are a number of books that have similar tasks, but none approach the subject so fully." James Lewis, Roosevelt University "Of particular interest to planners are the essays on the city's physical change; sociologist Larry Bennett's careful analysis of the Metropolis 2002 plan; and sociologist Robert Garner's conclusion." Planning magazine "These 26 richly rewarding interdisciplinary essays with a strong sociological focus analyze the social, political, demographic, economic, and cultural changes in the world community since the early 1970s...this book will reward discerning readers." Choice "The editors firmly believe that Chicago, its postindustrial formation, and the struggles that have characterized its recent history must be placed in a global context... [A]nyone who wants to know what is happening in Chicago today does well to take a close look at this volume."Journal of Regional Science

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Temple University Press (September 28, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1592130887
• ISBN-13: 978-1592130887
• Product Dimensions: 9.7 x 6.9 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #878,810 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)