The World of Cities is a concise theoretical and empirical introduction to urban sociology. In clear and engaging terms, the book surveys and critiques all the major theoretical perspectives in urban studies.

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• Provides a concise introduction to urban sociology.
  
• Uses clear and engaging terms.
  
• Surveys the main theoretical models of urban studies.
  
• Includes empirical data on contemporary cities and neighborhoods, and the impact of the world economy on city life.
  
• Features a discussion of the current reconstructive efforts of educational, political, and business leaders to improve cities and maintain their civic culture.

About the Author
Anthony M. Orum is Professor of Sociology and Political Science at the University of Illinois at Chicago. He is the author of City-Building in America (1995) and Introduction to Political Sociology (fourth edition, 2000), co-editor of The Case for the Case Study (with Joe Feagin and Gideon Sjoberg, 1991) and co-author of Changing Societies (with John Johnstone and Stephanie Riger, 1999).

Xiangming Chen is Associate Professor of Sociology at University of Illinois at Chicago and Research Fellow with the IC2 Institute at the University of Texas at Austin. He is interested in the comparative study of cities in the global context, with a primary focus on China and East Asia. He has published numerous articles on urban studies and is the author of the forthcoming As Borders Crumble (2004) and the principal editor of the forthcoming Global Aspirations, Local Actions (2004).

Reviews
'The World of Cities is an intellectually strong and up-to-date synthesis, one that should prove useful to both students and sophisticated analysts alike.' Harvey Molotch, University of California at Santa Barbara and New York University

'For the first time in recent US scholarship, Orum and Chen provide a deep and extended analysis of the importance of place in city development. Human beings value places as sacred sites with deep memories and legendary attachments, to be revisited even when catastrophes make this foolhardy. Dissatisfied with undemocratic development today, Orum and Chen provide a sage set of pro-active measures for creating much better urban places fostering human life and family.' Joe Feagin, University of Florida

Book Information
ISBN 9780631210269
Author Anthony M. Orum
Format Paperback
Page Count 192
Imprint Wiley-Blackwell
Publisher John Wiley and Sons Ltd
Weight(grams) 290g
Dimensions(mm) 229mm * 152mm * 15mm