American Sociological Association Volume 26 Number 1 Community & Urban Sociology Section Fal l 2013 CUSS Newsletter

INSIDE THIS Concentrated Poverty & Concentrated ISSUE: Affluence: Notes for a Comparative Analysis Editor’s Note 2

In Memorial 3 -Marshall Berman Herbert Gans tal transactions and criti- cal mass processes take 2014 CUSS Panels & 4 place in both. Likewise, Roundtables The concept that pov- so do good and bad so- erty-related social prob- cial and individual effects. News & Notes 6 lems are caused in part The most dramatic - 2013 CUSS Awards 7 by the spatial concentra- and disturbing - findings Presentations tion of the poor was intro- of concentrated poverty duced by urban sociolo- research are associated gists and antipoverty re- with high poverty neigh- New Books 8 searchers during a period borhoods, areas in which of increasing poverty at 40 percent or more of the Announcements 11 the start of the 1990s. population is poor. Low The debates over concen- Since then, the coun- poverty neighborhoods, trated poverty and wealth try has seen an immense where 20 or 10 percent of intensified after the 2008 increase in the number of the residents are poor Great Recession. affluent people, but soci- have fewer socially and ologists have not consid- individually destructive ered the possible exist- neighborhood effects. problems parallel to those ence of similar spatial The basic question: found in the highly con- concentration effects does the same pattern centrated areas of the among this population. apply to concentrated poor? Despite massive affluence? Poverty and High poverty areas are wealth and income differ- affluence have very dif- typically marked by family ences between concen- ferent effects on people -related problems, chil- trated poor and affluent but how about concentra- dren's school perfor- areas, presumably the tion? Do neighborhoods mance issues, physical same peer and conformi- in which 40 percent or and mental health issues, ty pressures, social capi- more are affluent display high rates of joblessness Concentrated, page 9

Chair’s Message Philip Kasinitz, City University of

Greetings fellow Cuss- huge success. The ses- for me was that the ASA niks! I hope you all en- sions were extremely in- schedule meant that al- joyed this year’s meeting teresting and well attend- most as soon as I had in New York as much as ed, and the reception was recovered from the 2013 I did. In my own, com- a blast. ASA, we needed to pro- pletely biased view the The only unfortunate duce a schedule of ses- section’s program was part of the whole affair Chair, page 2 Pa g e 2 Volume 26 Number 1

Chair’s Message from page 1 sions for the 2014 ASA apologize in advance to central. I saw, or thought according to the helpful meeting in San Francis- the session organizers for I saw, that the descrip- and infinitely patient folks co. However, once the descriptions of their tions were limited to 200 at ASA Central Com- again, the section mem- sessions that will shortly words. Now, as my mand the issue was the bership responded enthu- appear in the ASA call for friends will attest, I have sessions had more than siastically to my panicked papers—and while doing a hard time saying one organizer. The sys- email calling for sessions so, take this opportunity “good morning” in less tem, I was told, “likes to and volunteers, and soon to rant a bit about one of than 200 words. But I do have only one organizer the council and I had my pet peeves. When like to do what I am told per session” (yeah, I more great ideas for ses- you get the ASA call you so I dutifully edited the thought…and I would sions than we could ac- will note that the descrip- descriptions way down, like to have a MacArthur commodate. The descrip- tions are extremely short. losing much of the organ- Award, but that is not go- tions of these sessions When I uploaded the de- izers’ carefully sculpted ing to bloody well happen and the contact infor- scriptions that the organ- prose in the process. I either!”). At this point, mation for the organizers izers had so carefully then resubmitted to however, realizing that are in this issue and I crafted, the new, super- package and was again arguing was useless and hope you will agree with efficient computer system rejected. Still too long! that I beginning to sound me that it sounds really that ASA now uses to Thinking “WTF!” I re-read like a lunatic, I gave up. promising. I want to thank assemble the program the instructions more Up against a hard dead- all of you who wrote me promptly rejected them carefully this time and line and cowed into sub- and apologize to those I all. I am afraid I took discovered that I was not mission, I picked some- could not squeeze in. I some offense at this. limited to 200 words, but one to be a “lead” organ- would also strongly sug- “Look here”, I shouted at to 200 KEY STROKES! izer. Please do not get gest that members the screen. “I am the duly Essentially a freakin’ mad when only one whose session ideas did elected Chair of the ASA tweet! To make a long name appears in the ASA not get onto the program Community and Urban story short, after much Call. Once again, the write to the roundtable Section, and you are a cursing and ruminating names of all the organiz- organizers and suggest collection of electronically on how intellectual integ- ers will appear here, in organizing a roundtable. encoded ones and ze- rity is falling victim to the our newsletter and will And for all of you who ros! I out rank you! I will needs of soulless ma- appear in the final ASA volunteered to serve on be long winded if I want chines I managed to program. committees—many, to be!” When this childish pare the descriptions Yours in struggle, many thanks. If you have raving yielded the predict- down to the required Philip Kasinitz not yet heard from me able lack of results, I de- length (or lack thereof). I yet, you will! cided to actually read the then re-submitted. Re- I would also like to instructions from ASA jected again. This time,

Editor’s Note William Holt, Birmingham - Southern College

While it feels like we Section Chair Phil Kasi- priately with the ASA know him personally, we were just in New York at nitz announcing the 2014 2014 Meeting’s theme, will forever remember him the ASA Meetings, Fall CUSS Call for Awards “Hard Times: The Impact in the American Experi- Term flew by and we’re including committee infor- of Economic Inequality on ence: Robert Moses vid- starting to make plans for mation and submission Families and Individuals.” eo as new generations the 2014 ASA Meetings deadlines. Gans poses interested see the impacts of urban in San Francisco. This This edition kicks off ideas for research on this renewal. edition includes the the CUSS Newsletter’s topic. As always, please CUSS Call for Submis- 26th year with a feature In this edition, we eu- send me any ideas for sions for panels and by Herbert Gans examin- logize the passing of Mar- features or contributions. roundtables. You should ing concentrated poverty shall Berman this fall. For This is a perfect format to look for an e-mail from and wealth fitting appro- those of us who did not try out new ideas. CUSS Newsletter Pa g e 3

In Memory of Marshall Berman

Lily Hoffman creativity has sprung CUNY-Graduate Center from urban disaster, CUNY-City College even demolition, citing Marshall Berman, New York’s recovery known for his Marxist hu- from the fiscal crises of manist rhapsody, All that the 1970s; describing is Solid Melts into Air how Paris rose from its (1982) died on Septem- 19th century ashes to ber 11, at breakfast at his become the center of favorite diner –the Metro, in the 20th on New York’s Upper century. “Urbicide,” he West Side, the neighbor- argued, was essential to hood to which he had this process. been displaced from the Marshall had a great South Bronx. love for the city. I won- Just a week before, I der, did Marshall finally had shown the PBS docu- forgive Robert Moses? Marshall Berman passed away on September 11, 2013. mentary, The World that Moses Built, to my un- Remembering Marshall though his native land of dergraduate Urban Soci- Berman held pride ology class at CCNY, Sharon Zukin of place in his heart. “I wonder, did pointing out the young CUNY-Brooklyn and Among urban sociolo- Marshall finally Marshall Berman with a CUNY-Graduate Center gists, Marshall is best forgive Robert brown beard and unlined Our fellow urbanist known for the polemic Moses?” brow talking about what Marshall Berman, who which forms the epilogue Robert Moses did to his died suddenly on Sep- to All That Is Solid, where beloved Bronx communi- tember 11, 2013, had a he channels Jane Ja- -Lily Hoffman ty, and telling them that towering intellect and an cobs’s love for the city they could look forward to overwhelming supply of and sharpens her attack taking a course with him, loving kindness. The on the soul-shriveling mo- a course which pulled author of the ultimate notony of urban design by “A big man, he together Marx, modern- statement on focusing on one act of would always ism, urbanism, rap music, and urbanism, All That Is per- graffiti art, French poetry, Solid Melts Into Air, Mar- embrace to say petrated by public-sector hello instead of angst both psychological shall was overwhelming builder Robert Moses: and philosophical, to in many ways. A big the building of the Cross- shaking hands, and name just a few topics. man, he would always Bronx Expressway. The he was as likely to The building of the Cross embrace to say hello highway tore a cohesive quote a lyric from Bronx Expressway in the instead of shaking but defenseless neighbor- 1960s made the personal hands, and he was as Broadway or rap as hood apart and reduced a passage from into the political, and be- likely to quote a lyric adjacent blocks to rubble. came both archetype and from Broadway or rap as In his essay, Marshall Marx or prototype, a cause of a passage from Marx or blended his own memo- Baudelaire.” great pain and anguish, Baudelaire. ries of growing up in the but ultimately, a source of In writing as in con- Bronx with social critique. -Sharon Zukin energy and renewal. versation, Marshall was It is a passionate, master- When Marshall gave the direct, astute and unpre- ful piece of writing. Ninth Annual Lewis Mum- tentious. Indeed, he The essay Marshall ford Lecture on Urbanism disliked pretentiousness wrote for the journal Lin- in the Great Hall at City in any form. The center gua Franca and revised College, May 2, 2013, he of any academic gather- for a book I edited with entitled his talk,” Emerg- ing, he loved to walk the Michael Sorkin, After the ing from the Ruins.” He city’s streets—any Berman, page 10 spoke about how urban streets, in any city— Pa g e 4 Volume 26 Number 1

2014 ASA CUSS Panels & Roundtables

While it seems like and sustainable develop- OPEN SESSION: same time, gentrification, we just returned from the ment of cities and metro- Home and Belonging migration, and globaliza- 2013 ASA Meetings in politan regions. Examples tion have the potential to New York, it’s time to include predatory lending Organizers: radically transform start planning for the and the ensuing foreclo- •Krista Paulsen neighborhoods and com- 2014 ASA Annual Meet- sure crises, food deserts, University of North munities: they call into ings in San Francisco the many challenges fac- Florida question just who from August 16-19. All ing urban school systems, •Maggie Kusenbach, “belongs” in a given CUSS events will be deteriorating wages, fiscal University of South place, as well as provid- scheduled primarily for crises of cities, and many Florida ing the impetus for Tuesday with two ses- others. This session will “home making” in new sion on Monday. The bring together academic For this session, we and unfamiliar places. CUSS Section will spon- researchers and their will seek papers examin- We anticipate that sor one invited session, community partners who ing how home is consti- this session will attract three open sessions are engaged in these ef- tuted, and how individu- primarily qualitative (one co-sponsored with forts in the San Francisco als and groups come to scholars (though we are the Environment, Tech- Bay area and around the belong in places such as open to any methodolog- nology and Society Sec- US. Part of the growing dwellings, neighbor- ical approach), and hope tion) as well as network, the Urban Re- hoods, cities, and other that it will appeal to roundtables. All papers search Based Action Net- communities under un- scholars working across should be submitted work (URBAN), these certain and sometimes a range of geographic though the conference panelists will present pa- rapidly changing societal areas and locations. Our website at www. pers and offer commen- conditions. We under- main emphasis will be to asanet.org by January 8, taries on emerging re- stand “home” as not select those papers that 2014. search methodologies merely a dwelling, but foreground the process- and the issues they are also as the practices and es by which individuals SPECIAL SESSION addressing. routines that connect and households come to Community Based Re- The session will focus people with places. As feel at home, that detail search: A Key to the on the following issues: such, home is bound up the specific practices Equitable Development In what ways does com- with notions of social- associated with home- of US Cities? munity based research spatial belonging, or the making, and that illumi- advance knowledge and degree to which individu- nate the means by which Organizer: practice about equitable als feel a given place is individuals and groups •Gregory D. Squires development? What chal- “right” for them, as well come to belong – or not George Washington lenges face scholars and as the processes of cre- – in neighborhoods, cit- University community practitioners ating this perceived fit. ies, and other communi- Presider: as they forge research/ We are particularly ties in contemporary so- •Mark R. Warren practice collaborations interested in work exam- ciety. University of and how can they be ining the challenges Massachusetts-Boston overcome? posed to both home and OPEN SESSION: We will assemble 6 belonging by forces such The Cities of the Amer- Inequality, long a panelists, including schol- as the ongoing economic ican South subject of urban re- ars who will present pa- and housing crises, mi- search, has become a pers and community ac- gration, redevelopment, Organizers: focus of wide-ranging tivists (who may present and gentrification. For •Richard Lloyd policy debates. A grow- sole or co-authored pa- instance, the economic Vanderbilt University ing number of scholars pers or, in some cases, and housing crises •Deirdre Oakley are collaborating with may present overviews of threaten notions of home Georgia State University community organizations their collaborative re- and belonging in multiple in efforts to pursue re- search activities) to ex- ways, as households’ Though the Ameri- search and policy initia- amine current initiatives connections to dwellings can South is of intense tives to address a variety and offer recommenda- and familiar neighbor- interest to historians and of issues that directly tions for future collabora- hoods become increas- literary scholars, it is address the equitable tive research. ingly tenuous. At the seldom addressed by CUSS Newsletter Pa g e 5

American sociology. The American society OPEN SESSION: peculiarity of the South continues to be trans- Urban Areas and Glob- in US history helps us to formed demographically, al Sustainability (co- understand the neglect. economically, culturally, sponsored with the The discipline of sociolo- politically, and techno- Environment and Tech- gy took shape in its clas- logically. Like their Chi- nology Section) sical form as the study of cago School predeces- modernity: capitalism, sors, contemporary ur- •Organizer: industry, secularization, ban scholars ponder the William G. Holt science, and urbaniza- implications of these Birmingham-Southern tion. The South has changes for community College been among the most and neighborhood vitali- dynamic regions in pop- ty. For example, how do With the world’s pop- ulation growth, expand- recent changes, such as ulation reaching 7 billion ing at the expense of the the foreclosure crisis and in 2011 primarily con- stagnant Northeast and Great Recession, in- centrated in urban areas, Midwest. At the same creasing ethnoracial di- sustainable development time, the unique history versity, the pervasive- offers both opportunities and contemporary condi- ness of digital communi- and constraints to deal tions of the South mean cation, and a polarizing with these issues. Sus- CUSS will host one that Southern cities take political landscape, alter tainability issues vary for special session, shape in ways not well people’s connections to Global North cities in captured by the standard and involvement within developed countries three open models of urban culture their neighborhoods? compared with Global sessions, a co- and morphology gener- Are individuals who are South cities in emerging sponsored session ated on the Northern now exposed to more countries. While the en- with ETS as well as prototype. The South crime, disorder, and dis- vironmental movement the refereed has modernized and advantage becoming typically looks at national urbanized, but it has less attached and more and global level issues, roundtables at the done so in a manner that socially isolated, or are this panel focuses on 2014 ASA Meetings requires that we update they confronting these how specific cities and in San Francisco. the content of those fluid issues through commu- communities are imple- concepts. The papers in nity mobilization pro- menting concepts of sus- this session will explore grams? How have cer- tainability including the sociology of contem- tain types of neighbor- green building, planning porary southern cities hood change (e.g., resi- sustainable cities, infill with an eye towards the dential turnover, gentrifi- developments, new ur- region’s history, its re- cation) impacted the na- banism and urban farm- cent dynamic growth and ture of local neighbor ing. the roles that southern relations? Do residents cities have come to play spend the majority of ROUNDTABLES: in American life. their time inside or out- Organizers: side their neighborhood? •Albert S. Fu OPEN SESSION: This proposed session Kutztown University Challenges to Commu- welcomes papers that •Yana Kucheva nity Social Organiza- address issues of com- Stanford University tion in a Changing munity social organiza- •Ryan Centner America tion from a variety of London School of theoretical and methodo- Economics Organizer logical approaches. •Eric Tesdahl, Vanderbilt •Gregory K. Sharp University Rice University

Pa g e 6 Volume 26 Number 1

NEWS & NOTES

•Ryan Centner, London metro area affected Change" for the Gradu- lished an article examin- School of Economics, what’s available in the ate Retention Enhance- ing the changing role of has begun a new ap- neighborhoods for kids ment at Texas A & M coffee houses as third pointment as Assistant and families and what International University places. The study ex- Professor of Urban Ge- children do on Saturdays. Program in Laredo, Tex- amines the ways in ography at the London He and his RA, Kate as. And, with Timothy which modern coffee School of Economics. Anderson, will also exam- Shortell, CUNY-Brooklyn houses serve both as a He is a member of the ine what kinds of health College, he published place to find community Urbanisation & Develop- care providers parents “Seeing New York City’s and a ment cluster within the typically use for their chil- Financial Crisis in the private zone to work, Department of Geogra- dren. They are interested Vernacular Landscape,” read, and use electronic phy & Environment -- in the distances that fami- in Crisis and Cities: New devices, and shows how http://cities geogra- lies have to travel for Critical Urban Theory chain coffee houses, phylse.net health care and if this (2013), edited by Kuniko though often criticized affects the kind of care Fujita and “On the Visual for their sanitized lack of •Joe Galaskiewicz, Uni- they get, their delaying in Semiotics of Collective character, may better versity of Arizona, re- getting healthcare, and Identity in Urban Vernac- meet customers’ new ceived a grant from the their satisfaction with the ular Spaces,” in Sociolo- third place needs by Sociology Program at health care provid- gy of the Visual Sphere, providing a wider variety the National Science ers. They will also gather edited by Dennis Zuev of amenities (e.g., types Foundation to do a data on the location of all and Regev Nathansohn of seating, food, and phone survey of 1,100 doctors’ offices, clinics, (2013). Jerry co-edits media) and free services families and to gather and hospitals in the Phoe- Urbanities, the Journal of that are in high demand data on establishments nix metro area, so they the IUAES Commission (e.g., Wi-Fi). The arti- serving households in will know what areas are on Urban Anthropology cle,"The Social Transfor- the Phoenix metropolitan more likely to produce (CUA). Which has a roll- mation of Coffee Hous- area. favorable outcomes than ing call for submissions es: The Emergence of He will gather data on others. at: http:// Chain Establishments what children do on Sat- www.anthrojournal- and the Private Nature of urdays, where they do it, •Jerry Krase, CUNY- urbanities.com/. Usage" appears in the if they are supervised by Brooklyn College present- October 2013 issue of adults, who provides the ed “Selling the New •Greg Squires, George the International Journal services/activities, and Brooklyn (Again)” at the Washington University, of Social Science Stud- how satisfied parents are “Poeticizing the Urban received the 2013 Lester ies. It was also the focus with the providers. He Apparatus: Scenes of F. Ward Distinguished of a story in Business wants to see if 1) chil- innovation” Culture of Contributor to Applied Insider. dren from different back- Cities Centre conference, and Clinical Sociology For the full text of the grounds and areas of the and led a panel on Brook- Award from the Associa- article see http:// city do different things, lyn and a walking tour of tion for Applied and Clin- redfame.com/journal/ 2) if the activities are Williamsburg with Mark ical Sociology. His new index.php/ijsss/article/ provided by nonprofits, Hutter, Rowan University, book, From Foreclosure view/200/177 government agencies, for the Society for the to Fair Lending: Advoca- for-profits, or congrega- Study of Social Interac- cy, Organizing, Occupy tions, and 3) if what’s tion’s Annual Meeting in and the Pursuit of Equi- available in their neigh- August in New York City. table Credit, co-edited borhoods affects what In September he spoke with Chester Hartman, they do. Since this repli- on visual ethnography at was released by New cates a survey he did in the University of Fribourg Village Press (2013). 2003, he can ascertain if (Switzerland) “Placing the population changes, Urban Anthropology” •Rachael A. Woldoff, economic hard times, seminar. In October he West Virginia University, and the housing crisis spoke on "Strolling along with colleague that neighborhoods ex- through Neighborhoods Lisa Dilks and graduate perienced in the Phoenix and Seeing the City student Dawn Lozzi pub- CUSS Newsletter Pa g e 7

2012 CUSS Awards

During the CUSS Re- •The Park Award "Eviction and the Repro- ception at the CUNY (formerly the Park duction of Urban Pov- Graduate Center in New Book Award) erty" 2012. American York, the 2013 CUSS -Robert Sampson Journal of Sociology. Award winners were rec- ognized. This year’s re- Great American City: •CUSS Student Paper cipients included: Chicago and the Endur- Award ing Neighborhood Effect. •Robert and Helen Lynd 2012: Chicago: Universi- -Stacy Torres Lifetime Achievement ty of Chicago Press New York University Award “Where Everybody May -William Julius Wilson •The Jane Addams Not Know Your Name: Harvard University Award The Importance of Elas- -Matthew Desmond tic Ties. " 2013 Harvard University

2013 CUSS Award Presentations

The deadline for papers and roundtables submissions for the 2014 ASA Annual Meeting is January 8, 2014.

Photos by William Holt

Top Left: William Julius Wilson, Lynd Award Recipient poses with Phil Kasinitz, CUSS Section Chair, and Derek Hyra, Lynd Award Chair. Top Right: Park Award Chair Bruce Haynes presents the Park Award to Robert Sampson and Honorable Mention to Andrew Deener. Bottom Left: Matthew Desmond received the Ad- dams Award from Addams Chair Andrew Deener . Bottom Right: Stacy Torres received the CUSS Student Paper Award from Chair Karyn Lacy Pa g e 8 Volume 26 Number 1

N E W B O O K S

Massachusetts. Hart- tive look at what the city ford’s transformation could become. Using the carries a striking imprint lessons from this book of globalization that has on Hartford and other been largely missed: underappreciated sec- from its 17th century ondary cities in New roots as New England England, urban scholars, first inland colonial set- leaders, and residents tlement, to its emer- alike can gain a number gence as one of the of essential insights – world’s most prosperous both theoretical and manufacturing and insur- practical. ance metropolises, to its

present configuration as •Confronting Urban Legacy: Rediscovering one of America’s poorest Hartford and New Eng- post-industrial cities, land’s Forgotten Cities. which by still retaining a 2013. Lanham, MD: globally lucrative FIRE Lexington Books. Sector, is nevertheless surrounded by one of the Editors: nation’s most prosper- -Xiangming Chen ous metropolitan re- gions. ”...one must Trinity College -Nick Bacon The myriad of dilem- remember that in a University of Maryland mas confronting Hartford class society, calls for this book to take parallel behaviors Confronting Urban an interdisciplinary ap- Legacy fills a critical la- proach. The editors’ in- •Otherwise Homeless: may be framed troduction places Hart- Vehicle Living and the differently and cuna in urban scholar- ship. As much of the ford in a global compara- Culture of Homeless- labeled with literature focuses on tive perspective and jus- ness. 2013. Boulder, different terms. “ global cities and megaci- tifies Hartford’s crucial CO: First Forum. ties, smaller, secondary role in linking urban- global studies. Part I -Michele Wakin -Herbert Gans cities, which actually hold the majority of the provides rich historical Bridgewater State world’s population, are delineations of the many University either critically misunder- rises and (not quite) falls stood or unexamined in of Hartford, its suburbs, Privacy, mobility, dig- their entirety. and Lawrence. Part II nity—living in a vehicle As there is particular- offers a broad contem- offers many advantages ly little systematic re- porary treatment of Hart- over life in a shelter or search on smaller New ford by dissecting recent on the street. Michele England cities, this book immigration and examin- Wakin broadens our un- specifically explores the ing the demographic and derstanding of home- transformative relation- educational dimensions lessness by exploring ship between globaliza- of the city-suburban di- the growing phenome- tion and urban transition vide, bringing in the non of vehicle living and in Hartford, Connecticut, comparative case stud- how it differs from other while including crucial ies of Springfield and forms of makeshift hous- comparative chapters on Portland. Finally, Part III ing. other forgotten New unpacks Hartford’s cur- Incorporating both England cities: Portland, rent social, economic, quantitative data and Maine, along with Law- and political conjuncture ethnographic work in rence and Springfield, and provides a prospec- New Books, page 10 CUSS Newsletter Pa g e 9

Concentrated from page 1

as well as of crime and Parental neglect of sororities. Some of the trated rich must correct delinquency. children could be present gangs of both engage in this omission. If neighbor- It seems hard to imag- in areas of high affluence, money making pursuits, hood effects are greater ine that the rich suffer notably among young- those in poverty areas in high affluence areas from such problems, but sters raised by gover- frequently concentrating than in low affluence before accepting such a nesses or sent to board- on drug selling, those in ones, the differential seemingly obvious con- ing schools. Poor aca- affluent areas, making might be caused by varia- clusion, one must re- demic performance takes future business contacts. tions in the levels of afflu- member that in a class place among young peo- Some poor gangs en- ence rather than or as society, parallel behav- ple guaranteed post grad- gage in high degrees of well as by the degree of iors may be framed differ- uate employment in fami- interpersonal violence concentration. The ex- ently and labeled with ly firms. and even murder, while tremely affluent could different terms. The biggest difference their rich equivalents limit behave differently than Thus, begging is as- among the two kinds of themselves to verbal vio- the affluent. sociated only with poor areas is likely to be in lence, social rejection, If the former turn out neighborhoods, but resi- areas of health; affluents date rape and occasional to be more problem rid- dents of high affluence are physically and men- hazing. den than the latter, re- areas who seek to in- tally healthier. However, Comparative analysis searchers need to con- crease their status beg the rich may suffer from of concentrated poverty sider possible policy im- for donations to charities normally untreated prob- and affluence entails spe- plications. Concentration and political campaigns. lems, such as greed and cial problems. Poverty is effects suggest dispersal Similarly, hustlers oper- conspicuous consump- hard to measure because policies, but income level ate in both areas, alt- tion. Inheritance depend- of poor people's income effects would have to be hough they may call ency and welfare de- is often irregular. Deter- dealt with by redistribu- themselves entrepre- pendency might share mining the income of the tive and other economic neurs or investment ad- common elements, aside rich is compromised by policies. visers in affluent areas. from the drastically differ- "top coding:" the practice ______The numbers and related ent economic payoffs. of data gathering agen- I am grateful for helpful rackets of the poor bear Alcoholism and drug cies to cap income clas- comments on an earlier comparison with Ponzi addiction are present in ses well below levels of draft of this memo by and other stock swindles both areas, but rates are high affluence. For exam- Merlin Chowkwanyun, Bill among affluents. hard to compare because ple, the U.S. Census's Domhoff and Harvey Family structure and in areas of concentrated top class is "$250,000 Molotch. kinship systems clearly affluence, alcohol and and above." differ in some respects, hard drugs are consumed Qualitative research- Herbert Gans is the Rob- affluence being more of- in private spaces. Con- ers will have to find ways ert S. Lynd Professor ten associated with multi- versely, the poor more of obtaining access to the Emeritus of Sociology, parent and step-parent often consume addictive rich living in gated and Columbia Univ. His most families. The statistical goods in publicly visible protected neighborhoods, recent book is Imagining and social normality of places. or in apartment houses America in 2033, 2008. single parent families in Street crime is absent guarded by doormen. Ann Arbor: University of high poverty areas is in concentrated affluence The identification of Michigan Press 2008. matched by the normality areas; their residents traf- neighborhood effects of abortion in high afflu- fic in financial and other could be complicated fur- ence areas. forms of white collar ther by the fact that many Father absence is pre- crime, again mostly in affluents have dwellings sent in both, although for private spaces. in several neighborhoods, occupational travel rea- Teenage gangs can some of them overseas. sons among the rich. be found in areas of high Concentrated poverty Ironically, poverty and affluence as in areas of research has paid little affluence areas may be high poverty, although attention to the income similar in the amount and among affluents, gangs levels among the concen- intensity of family conflict are known as secret trated poor, but research- over money. clubs, fraternities and ers studying the concen- Pa g e 10 Volume 26 Number 1

N e w B o o k s from page 8

California, Wakin takes many low-income and no us into the lives of those -income men, women, who call a car, truck, or and children in this na- RV home. She probes tion are without health the forces that pushed insurance or health care. them out of traditional More than half of those housing, their unique financially bereft have a strengths and vulnerabil- serious health problem, ities in navigating every- with poor children three day life, and their com- to five times more likely plex relationships with to experience chronic local communities, law health issues than their enforcement, and social more affluent peers. This service providers. Her •Poverty and Health: A set is a compilation of analysis of this over- Crisis among Ameri- writings that address the looked population illumi- ca's Most Vulnerable. complex problem of pov- nates the dynamics that 2013. Santa Barbara, erty and health across 2013 ASA make it so hard to break CA: Praeger. location and population. Membership the cycle of regulation Through two informative and resistance that im- Editor: volumes, the authors expires on pedes the escape from -Kevin M. Fitzpatrick examine key issues in- December 2013. Be poverty. University of Arkansas. cluding health care deliv- sure to renew early ery, access, and dispari- for 2014. A collection of in- ties among various dis- depth essays focused on enfranchised popula- the health issues facing tions. Leading experts the poorest populations explore the reciprocal in the United States as it relationship between relates to the common economic disadvantage good of all Americans. and poor health, and Despite living in one ponder potential solu- of the wealthiest coun- tions to cope with these tries in the world, far too challenges.

B e r m a n from page 3

World Trade Center, is of the New Deal era, to mourned the deaths of so also both a personal Let Us Now Praise Fa- many firefighters in the statement and an effort to mous Men and to James attack on the World Trade analyze the unanalyzable Joyce’s Ulysses. Center, he was clear power of death and de- Though he wrote with about the need to recruit struction. Marshall turned great feeling about the more members of ethnic to the issues he knew survivors who were linked minorities when they re- best. Speaking of the by guilt, Marshall refused built their ranks. many signs about to mourn the buildings That Marshall should “missing persons” that that died on 9/11. He pass from the scene on were posted all over the was still angry that the September 11 was sym- city after 9/11, he said we World Trade Center, like bolically fitting. His loss often try to understand the Cross-Bronx Express- diminishes the community mass destruction in terms way and the large-scale of New York urbanists of individual lives. “Life public housing projects and that of the many ur- stories,” he wrote, and drawn to Modernist de- banists who were drawn related the missing per- signs, “killed the street.” to him from around the sons signs to the dramas Moreover, though he world. A m eri can Sociological Announcements Association Community & •Place Based Perspec- found at: http://sociology. may be theoretical, em- tives on Food in Socie- uark.edu/Context_of_ pirical, or policy-oriented Urban Sociology ty- Call for Papers Food_ Call_for_Papers_ and can focus on trends S ecti on 092713.pdf. or current circumstanc- This proposed vol- For more information es. We also welcome William Grady Holt ume (12 chapters) will or questions contact: research representing a CUSS Newsletter Editor encourage multidiscipli- Kevin M. Fitzpatrick (Co- variety of methodological Coordinator nary examinations of the Editor) at kfitzpa@ uark. styles and set in con- Urban Environmental context of food that pri- edu. Deadline for chap- texts ranging from met- Studies Program marily focuses on place. ter proposals is January ropolitan to rural. The Birmingham-Southern We are particularly inter- 15, 201 conference format will College ested in essays that ad- provide ample opportuni- 900 Arkadelphia Road dress solutions to the •Residential Inequality ties for interaction Birmingham, AL 35254 global food crisis, focus- in American Neighbor- among attendees. ing on how we address hoods and Communi- Scholars interested in Phone: 205-226-4834 the diversity in that crisis ties-Call for Papers presenting their work Fax: 205-226-4847 across place. Chapters should email a 2-page E-mail: [email protected] should be a maximum of Penn State is hosting abstract or completed 8,000 words, (not includ- a small conference that paper to psustratcon ing tables, charts, pic- highlights how stratifica- @psu.edu by January tures, etc). This volume tion intersects with the 31, 2014. Acceptance is intended to inform stu- residential landscape of decisions will be made dents and scholars from the United States. Ap- no later than February related disciplines, but proximately 15 innova- 15. Please visit http:// just as importantly to tive papers are sought sociology.la.psu.edu/ attract and interest the for sessions on the inter- about/psu-stratcon for college-educated lay related phenomena of additional details about reader. A detailed call for segregation, housing the conference, which is We’re on the web: papers with a compre- and neighborhood attain- being organized by hensive outline, target ment, residential mobili- Glenn Firebaugh, John The Community dates, proposed topics, ty, and community Iceland, Barrett Lee, and Web and other details can be change. Contributions Stephen Matthews.

http:// www.commurb.org