Class Discussion for August 29:

Approaches to Urbanism



1. What is a city?

2. How does your background influence how you define a city?

3. Think of the development of cities. Think what life was beforehand. Why in the world would people change their perfectly fine lifestyle?

4. The preindustrial city is different from the industrial city. How? How have the changes affected the inhabitants?

5. What is the Wirthian approach? What is the opposite?

Redfield

Oscar Lewis

Horace Miner and Timbuctoo

Hannerz and Rotenberg: urban advantages

Sjoberg: preindus is incomparable to indus city

 


essentialism vs nominalism

 6. Does a Wirthian or a non-Wirthian perspective apply to St. Louis?

7. What is the relevance of the terms "neighborhood" or "community" in urban studies? How would you define them? How do they apply to St. Louis?