Review
“In a comprehensible style and with illustrating examples, Introduction to Cities offers a fresh perspective to investigate abstract cities through specific places… Given the scope of this book as a sociological volume, it is exceptionally clear and informative on demographic dynamics within urban settings. Students and scholars interested in urban change, human wellbeing and social justice issues will benefit from reading this book.” (Urban Studies, September 2014) In this context, the task of writing a broad introductory textbook is daunting, and the authors of Introduction to Cities should be recognised for their notable accomplishment. (Tijdschrift Voor Economische En Sociale Geografie, 1 November 2013) In sum, I recommend this book for academic use in lower level undergraduate courses in urban studies and related disciplines. To conclude, the full title of Introduction to Cities can and should be taken quite literally; this is an introductory text about cities, exploring how place and space shape the human experience. Xiangming Chen, Anthony M. Orum, and Krista E. Paulsen s book exemplifies truth in advertising. (Journal of Urban Affairs, 1 May 2014) ” Introduction to Cities” shows how and why cities are important to us as members of a global human community. Each chapter lays out an accessible, empathetic, and coherent story about cities that will intrigue the reader and excite their curiosity. Through a combination of historical overview, theoretical application, and astute analysis and cross-national case studies of urban change, Introduction to Cities provides an original, innovative perspective to explain how cities change, how they affect our lives, and how we can make them better places to live. Students and scholars of cities and urban change will enjoy this book very much.” Kevin Fox Gotham, Tulane University “This comprehensive political sociology of cities reflects both the growing interest in space and place and the unusually rapid urbanization of the developing world, with a particularly sensitive treatment of Chinese cities. Up-to-date, and theoretically and politically astute, the text is exceptionally clear, almost conversational in tone, and oriented to student learning.” Edward Soja, UCLA
From the Back Cover
Introduction to Cities seeks to explain why cities are such a vital part of the human experience and how they shape our lives.
Written in an engaging and jargon-free style, this book approaches the study of cities through two main concepts: that cities are places, where people live, form communities, and establish their own identities, and that they are spaces, such as residential areas or the suburbs, that offer a way to configure and shape the material and natural environment.
Introduction to Cities covers theory from the historical to the cutting edge, and offers a balanced account of life in cities, highlighting both positive and negative themes. It takes a global approach, with examples ranging from Berlin and Chicago to Shanghai and Mumbai. Students will appreciate the inclusion of additional features such as a glossary of key terms, critical thinking questions, and suggestions for further reading. In addition, the book is extensively illustrated with maps, charts, tables, and over 80 photographs.
Taking in topics such as social inequalities, race, globalization, and sustainability, this book provides a complete introduction to the history, evolution, and future of the modern city.
It is also accompanied by a comprehensive website (www.wiley.com/go/cities), which features further examples and case studies, discussion and essay questions, chapter outlines, and links to useful online resources and films and documentaries.
About the Author
Xiangming Chen is the founding Dean and Director of the Center for Urban and Global Studies and Paul Raether Distinguished Professor of Global Urban Studies and Sociology at Trinity College, Hartford, and Distinguished Guest Professor in the School of Social Development and Public Policy at Fudan University, Shanghai. His books include The World of Cities: Places in Comparative and Historical Perspective (with Anthony M. Orum, Blackwell, 2003), As Borders Bend: Transnational Spaces on the Pacific Rim (2005), and Shanghai Rising: State Power and Local Transformations in a Global Megacity (ed., 2009), and Rethinking Global Urbanism: Comparative Insights from Secondary Cities (coed., 2012). Several of his books have been translated into Chinese. Anthony M. Orum is Professor Emeritus of Sociology at the University of Illinois at Chicago. He was the founding editor of the journal City & Community, and has received several awards, including the 2009 Robert and Helen Lynd Award for Lifetime Achievement and Service given by the Community and Urban Sociology Section of the American Sociological Association. His publications include City-Building in America (1995), The World of Cities: Places in Comparative and Historical Perspective (with Xiangming Chen, Blackwell, 2003), and Common Ground? Readings and Reflections on Public Space (ed. with Zachary Neal, 2010). Several of his books have been translated into Chinese. Krista E. Paulsen is Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of North Florida. She has published widely on the city, urban tradition, and the ways that places develop and maintain distinctive cultures. Her research examines the ways that homes and neighborhoods reflect and reproduce cultural ideals associated with family and community, and her teaching takes in urban sociology and urban studies, environmental sociology, community, and qualitative research methods. She is currently at work on the edited volume Home Place Community: International Sociological Perspectives (ed. with Margarethe Kusenbach and Melinda Milligan).
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