The New Urban Paradigm ― Critical Perspectives on the City

This book assesses urban questions from the "new urban sociology" perspective that has developed since the 1980s. One of the leading figures in this tradition of thought, Feagin places class and racial domination at the heart of the analysis of city life, change, and development. His approach takes into account political-economic histories and the rise and fall of their social institutions; the character and impact of their underlying systems of capitalism, racism, and patriarchy; and how these dynamics play out in the everyday lives of contemporary urbanites. His assessment of the historical conditions and institutions that protect class and racial privileges makes it clear why people in cities rebel and why social scientists should focus future research on large-scale urban transformation.

Joe R. Feagin is professor of sociology at the University of Florida.