SOC 201 The City Community 09 28 2013 A group of people sharing a common identity interest or history A spatial area neighborhood town with institutions and social relations that tie residents together Urban Definition Varies from country to country Stable year round settlement High population and or population density Non agricultural economic focus Locations of officials The Census Bureau identifies two types of urban areas Urbanized Areas of 50 000 or more people Urban Clusters of at least 2 500 and less than 50 000 people Metropolitan Area City plus its connected surrounding area US consensus definition A core area containing a substantial population nucleus together with adjacent communities having a higher degree of social communication with that core Urbanization The process of city growth and development Involves growth in number and or size of cities Measured by the increase in the proportion of a population living in urban areas Urbanism Suburb central city the behavioral response to living in an urban setting The social and behavioral consequences of urbanization The set of customs mores values and behaviors that characterize city life Area within a metropolitan area that lies outside of the boundaries of a Urban History Era I Pre Urban Era 09 28 2013 800 000 MC to 4 000MC most of human history True cities precluded by nomadic lifestyles and lack of agricultural surplus Humans followed their food source and didn t sustain stationary crops until 12 000 BC Domesticated animals by 9 000 BC Some stable settlements small camps with no economic function to define them as urban locations yet Era II Pre Industrial Urban Era 4 000 BC 1 750 BC First cities Jericho Catalhoyuk and Ur Allowed for sedentism population growth and specialization of roles Sedentism Could stay in one place population growth and specialization of roles These First cities served admiration and trade functions as well as stable agricultural surplus Slow and sporadic pace of urbanization o World urban population below 2 by end of 1 750 City growth became self reinforced o Cities spurred innovation surplus expansion o Some city states became large and opulent Era III Industrial Urban Era Cities changed from centers of administration to production Around 1 750 Present Rapid pace of urbanization Spurred by Industrial Revolution Locations and growth of cities determined by o Roles in industrialization specialization o Location relative to natural resources Terms Functionalist Theory Cities were necessary for management of agricultural surplus and technology and they maximize efficiency Conflict Theory Cities emerged as a tool for the ruling class to enhance their own power Cities are a convenient place to extract and collect surplus from agricultural workers Overview Cities were hotspots for industrial development Critical population for mass production Already established as a center of transportation Efficient use of steam systems Beginning political systems based on civil law rather than feudal or religion Urbanization In America 09 28 2013 First cities were developed in early 17 Boston Newport New Amsterdam Philadelphia and Charleston Administrative functions for extraction industries and commercial th century ports Slow start to urbanization 1700 Less than 3 of population in cities 1800 just over 5 in cities Industrial Urbanization Revolution around 1840 1850 Cities drew rural and international migrants 26 of population urbanized by 1860 Factors Affecting Location and Growth of American Cities Natural transportation routes Atlanta coast river cities lake cities southern ports Breaks in transportation Locations near natural resources Agricultural production coal timber silver and gold Civic Boosterism Use of political and or economic influence to affect population growth economic growth or policy favor Land speculation Attract transportation canals railroads highways Industrial Revolution reshaped the US and world population from primarily rural to primarily urban Spurred massive concentration of population in cities Early US industries were densely populated Core of industrial activity in central cities Theoretical Perspectives on Urban Change 09 28 2013 Urban Ecology A theoretical perspective that views the social and spatial structure of the urban environment as a functional outcome of natural ecological processes of competition and the mutual adaptation of the population to its environment Goal is to explain Physical structure of the city Social stratification why groups occupy particular economic and geographical niches within the city How the city is shaped by the population and in turn forces the population to adapt Urban Ecology draws on concepts from biological ecology such as Competition Dominance Adaptation Invasion Succession and Natural Areas Differences between human biological ecology In human societies the complex division of labor and technology Lessen the dependence on the local environment Humans modify their environment more than other animals Humans have language laws politics culture and standards of morality that limit competition Human societies have biotic and cultural spheres But the biotic sphere considered most important Key assumptions of Urban Ecology Urban spatial environment is organized in an orderly fashion Segregation of land uses results from free market forces in the urban system Spatial order does not result from planning or the efforts of a single influential actor Results from open competition for most valuable land adaptation or prevailing economic and technological conditions Social structure Competition and adaptation also determine economic niches for individuals and groups Land use patterns and social stratification that develops ensures most efficient use of space and resources Functionalist of people outcome maximizes efficiency for the largest number Functional interdependence Individuals and groups at different strata fill different roles that others rely upon The type of use dominating a natural area shapes the social integrations in that area Different natural areas develop different moral codes Ecological model of city spatial structure The Concentric Zone Model Central Business District Transitional Zone Industrial Zone o Deteriorated Housing o Workers in factories o Abandoned Buildings Working Class Zone o Single Family Tenements Residential Zone o Single Family Homes w Yards Garages Commuter Zone o Suburbs Early criticism of Urban Ecology 1 Variations