Discusses the objectives, characteristics, and outcomes associated with a joint "sociology-urban studies, travel-study, minicourse program." Describes how students in a four-day, two-credit-hour course travel to cities such as Washington, DC and Toronto to be exposed to different cultures, organizational structures, and social arrangements.…

Describes the evolving emphasis of schools of urban planning from concentration on scientific management, beautifying cities, and educating the public in the 1920s to solving the social problems in the 1960s. Calls for a collaboration of business and other professional schools to redefine the function and purpose of urban planning schools to…

The best way to define geography is to think of it as the study of processes as they operate over space and in place. The evolution of this definition is discussed, and examples of the way in which geographers have studied social change in U.S. cities are provided. (RM)

Provides a listing and discussion of principles/guidelines for urban and local studies. Suggests that these studies be integrated, issue based, open ended, and available to students of all abilities. In addition, they should lead to action and development of values and communication skills. They should also have a new/alternative form of…

Describes the development and implementation of a program in which students in Portland, Oregon, learn about architecture, urban history, and urban growth by exploring the city, studying its buildings, examining social, political, and economic influences on the environment, speaking with people in the neighborhoods, and using city resources. (MJL)

High school U.S. history students in New Jersey simulate city planning and construction. Students allocate available natural resources, designate population size, building types and locations, governmental structure, and future growth plans, and construct a scale model of their imaginary city. (AM)

Describes high school social studies course in western civilization with an urban emphasis. Suggests that since 85 percent of the population lives in cities, few Americans can escape the reality of urban living or the influence of urban phenomena in their lives. (Author/KC)

Describes the 77 community areas of Chicago, and provides information resources available for compiling community profiles. Discusses uses of a community profile and issues in creating one. Highlights include maps, historical information, census figures, planning and development statistics, and aerial photographs. Appendices provide a list of…

This article challenges social (dis)organization theory by investigating the impact of religious culture on civic engagement. Using qualitative data from 'Bridge View,' a historically African-American neighborhood in San Francisco experiencing environmental racism, this article asks: (1) How does the Nation of Islam (NOI) affect social…

This paper attempts to provide some answers to two questions: What are the distinctive challenges of urban education (especially in London) and how can schools help to meet them? Using theoretical frameworks derived from the writings of two leading scholars of the urban, Manuel Castells and David Harvey, this paper argues that the challenges…

Questions the rationale for and possible consequences of political decentralization of New York City. Suggests that the disadvantages--reduced level of professionalism, increased expense in multiple government operation, "stabilization" of residential segregation, necessity for budget negotiations because of public disclosure of tax…

This paper examines local political activism in Columbus, Ohio, between 1900 and 1980. There are two major parts to the paper. First, through a content analysis of a local newspaper "The Columbus Dispatch" over the past 80 years, the salient issues and context within which neighborhood activism occurs are defined. Data were obtained from…

This general bibliography contains current sources on urban and regional planning. Most citations date from 1973 through 1975, and some are annotated. The bulk of the documents are commercially published books, bulletins, project reports, and studies on urban studies, urban planning, regional planning, and city planning and problems. Citations are…

The manual is designed to provide instructors in adult basic education with discussion and activities materials which treat the subject of environment and society. Each of the three topics ("People and Their Needs,""Understanding the City," and "Improving the City Environment") is comprised of objectives, background information for the instructor,…