What are the major historical landmarks or tourist attractions in the city?
You will research Chicago and write a paper on its history and current status. You will organize your paper according to the rubric below. You must apply the sociological concepts and theories from the readings and class lectures to your urban research. Data collection for the paper should be based on assigned course readings and the following library and documentary resources: scholarly journals, newspapers, magazines, congressional testimony, archival material, planning department documents, government reports and analyses, census bureau data, books, and other written documents. I encourage you toinclude a map of the city and any other figures and tables if necessary. When writing your paper, assume that the reader knows nothing of the material you have read, the concepts you used, and data you collected. A useful starting point and excellent resource to consult to begin yourresearch is the Tulane University Howard-Tilton Library Urban Studies Library Guide: https://libguides.tulane.edu/urban
Paper should be 15 pages excluding Work’s cited sources and appendix
Paper Organization Rubric:
History
When was the city established/incorporated? Who was responsible for its settlement and why was the city formed? What are the major historical landmarks or tourist attractions in the city? Tell us about any interesting or peculiar circumstances surrounding the origin and development of the city.
Demographics and Population Characteristics.
What is the current population of the city? Has the population increased or decreased over the last 30-50 years or so? If so, why? What is the racial and ethnic composition of the city population? Has this increased or decreased much and why? Tell us about the income and age distribution of the current population. Are there any ethnic enclaves in your city? If so, describe their history and development. Engage the material in Chapter 9 of the textbook and describe the connections among the global economy and the recent formation of ethnic enclaves in the city
Economic Base and Land-Use.
Does the city have an economy dominated by one or two major industries or does the city have a diversified economy? Has the economic base changed much in the last fifty years? What is the rate of unemployment? Is housing availability and cost considered high or low? Are there any major land-uses that dominate the city? Tell us about the land use distribution (e.g., residential, commercial, and industrial land-uses). What parts of the city are experiencing gentrification and new commercial investment? Are there any neighborhoods experiencing super-gentrification? What areas of the city are experiencing residential displacement, disinvestment, and/or de-industrialization? What are the drivers of these land-use changes?
Infrastructure and Government.
Tell us about the transportation and communication systems, the quality of education and health care for city residents, and the form of city government (note: the two major forms of city government in the US are described on p. 242 of the textbook).
Ecological/Environmental Problems.
What are the major environmental problems – pollution, contamination, climate change – the city faces? How have city leaders responded to these problems in the last decade or so? What new policies and programs have been implemented to address the city’s environmental challenges? Does your city have any locally unwanted land-uses (LULUs)? Engage the material in Chapter 13 of the textbook and describe your city’s natural advantages and natural disadvantages. Also, what attempts have been undertaken in your city to reduce its ecological footprint?
Social Problems.
What are the major social problems the city faces? What is the crime rate? Is the crime rate high or low? Is the crime rate high for violent crime and/or property crime? What is the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty line? Is the poverty rate high or low? Has the city had a history of racial, class, gender struggles and conflicts? If so, why? How are past conflicts and struggles linked to contemporary conflicts and struggles?
Disaster, Risk, and Vulnerability
All cities face disaster risks. Engage Chapter 13 of the textbook and identify any engineering and development projects that have subjected your city to disaster risk(s). Explain why your city would be rebuilt if a major disaster affected it. Addressing this question means that you should be able to identify the major disaster risk(s) facing the city and can describe the factors that would compel people to rebuild the city following a disaster (In thinking about the hypothetical post-disaster recovery and rebuilding of your city, consider why a city would not be rebuilt after a major disaster).
Climate Change Adaptation
In some cities, political and economic leaders have recognized that climate change represents a serious threat to critical infrastructure and responded with programs to address climate change impacts and increase resilience. What climate change threats does your city face? These could be excessive heat, rising sea levels, more severe hurricanes, etc. What are the major climate change adaptation programs and activities that have been implemented in your city?
Emergency Management
Describe the organization and operation of your city’s office of emergency management (it could have different titles: e.g., it could be called the department or office of homeland security; or it could be called the office or department of emergency preparedness). What are the goals, purpose, activities, and programs of the department or office of emergency management? How is this office networked with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)? Are some there risks and hazards that your city’s emergency management office prioritizes over others? Do you see any challenges the office faces in realizing its goals? Pick at least one of the following concepts – vulnerability, resilience, sustainability – and describe how the office of emergency management uses this concept in their programs, or activities and operations.
Prospects for the Future.
What are the projections for future economic growth? What are the major economic revitalization projects being planned or implemented? What barriers does the city face in promoting growth? What problems does the city face that may impede future growth and development? Engage the material in Chapter 12 of the textbook and describe the ways in which your city is globally networked?
References.
You must include a References section that contains at least 10 references. The bulk of your research sources should come from material available from authoritative sources, especially libraries, government agencies, and other official (i.e., government) outlets.You should not use Wikipedia because it is not an authoritative source.
1 Methodological Appendix
Provide a thorough description of how you gathered your information. You should
identify the types and sources of data collected. You should include data in tables,
graphs, and/or figures if you have large amounts of quantitative data. Put each table,
graph, or figure on a separate page with a descriptive title over it. In the text of the
research paper, refer to the table or figure by number and then explain it. For helpful
advice on gathering your research data and writing the methodological appendix, study
Chapter 4. Methods and Rules for the Study of Cities. Pp 71-97 in Introduction to Cities:
How Place and Space Shape Human Experience by Chen, Xiangming, Anthony M.
Orum, and Krista E. Paulsen. Wiley Blackwell.
Use in text citation. Use Times New Roman, 12pt font, with your page number in the top righthand corner. Use FBI UCR data. Your grade will be based on how complete your paper is (i.e., does it address all the above points
and issues), how organized it is and, most importantly, how well you connect the various themes,
concepts, readings from the course to explain your city. Your paper should reflect your
thoughtful engagement with the subject matter of urban sociology. Answer following question:
How does your urban research relate to your understanding of class readings, course concepts,
and different theories of cities and urban life? Finally, pick three concepts identified in the Chen,
Orum, and Paulsen textbook and explain how they have influenced the development of the city
that you are researching. The paper should be clear, concise, and succinct. Grammar,
organization, spelling, and clarity all count. I will not accept any late papers, faxed papers, or
papers contained in email attachments.
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