Description
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.
Explanation & Answer
Please view explanation and answer below.
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History and Current Status of Chicago
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History and Current Status of Chicago
History
The city of Chicago has a rich history, growing from a small trading post to becoming a
global trading and commerce center. Originally, natives inhabited the region, with Chicago being
the homeland of multiple Indian American tribes such as the Hoocąk and Waayaahtanwaki (City
of Chicago, 2020). Jean Baptiste Point du Sable, a Haitian black man, was the first permanent
non-indigenous inhabitant in the area. However, the natives resisted any attempts by the U.S.
government to establish in the area. For example, the locals burnt Fort Dearborn, the first trading
post the government set (City of Chicago, 2020). The resistance persisted for the better part of
the early 19th century, and the U.S. government finally won in the 1830s. Without native
resistance, conditions were now favorable for non-indigenous settlement and investment.
The city was incorporated in 1837 and has experienced unprecedented growth since then.
Its location, bordering several waterways such as the Chicago River and the great lakes,
cemented its status as a transportation hub (City of Chicago, 2020). Infrastructures such as the
Illinois and Michigan canal and railroads were set up to enhance the city’s connection and
facilitate trade. In addition, another aspect that significantly contributed to the city’s growth and
underpinned its global influence was the grain trade. According to Leslie (2020), the city borders
the Midwest region, an agricultural wealth hub stretching to millions of acres. Therefore, the
invention of the grain storage elevator helped Chicago leverage this agricultural wealth and
revolutionized the grain market in the city and across the globe. As Leslie (2020) points, the
elevators provided reliable grain storage and transfer mechanism and were vital in attracting
significant global investments in the grain market.
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Consequently, they elevated Chicago to the world's most extensive grain port.
Additionally, the grain trade sparked further growth in the city's business district, spurring the
rise of commercial towers that facilitated the transaction. Other industries such as the lumber
industry followed, making Chicago a global industrial, trade, and transportation hub.
In addition, another defining event for the city was the great fire in 1871. The fire razed
down most of the buildings and streets in the city. One of the few buildings that survived was the
city’s water tower and pumping station and is now a historic landmark in Chicago (City of
Chicago, 2020). However, a testament to the city’s resilience, Chicago quickly rebuilt back and
marked its recovery by hosting the World’s Columbia Exposition in 1893. In addition, the
rebuild gave rise to historical landmarks such as the Art Institute of Chicago, the Chicago
Museum of Science and Industry, and Millennium Park (City of Chicago, 2020).
Additionally, the city is well renowned for its incredible architecture, and the Willis
Tower, once the world’s tallest building, underlines this status. Also, it is in Chicago where
scientists at the University of Chicago made a breakthrough in nuclear technology in 1942 (City
of Chicago, 2020). The Henry Moore sculpture, another landmark, marks this achievement.
Therefore, as one can observe, Chicago, one of the biggest cities in the world, also has a rich
historical heritage.
Demographics and Population Characteristics
Chicago’s current population stands at 2,693,976 (Census.gov, 2020). Since 1950, the
city has experienced some interesting developments regarding its population growth trends. For
example, the city's population sharply declined between 1950 and 1990, declining by 23.1%
from 3,620,962 to 2,783,726 (Great Cities Institute, 2019). It then slightly increased between
1990 and 2000, growing to 2,896,016. Over the last 20 years, it has slightly declined to its
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current number. Therefore, since the 1950s, the population has decreased by 25% (Great Cities
Institute, 2019). Several aspects contribute to the population decline. The city's declining
marriage and birth rates are key contributors to the trend (Chicago Metropolitan Agency for
Planning [CMAP], 2019). Also, as Chen et al. (2018) observe, the deindustrialization trend in the
1950s and 1960s, where most industries offshored their services to other locations, is another key
reason. The trend led to a loss of multiple industrial jobs, and with people unable to earn a decent
living, they had to relocate. This explains the sharp population decline of 23.1% between 1950
and 1990.
Chicago has a relatively aging population. The city's median age is 37. About 13% of the
people are senior residents above 65 years. This figure is expected to double in the next forty
years due to the high population of baby boomers and the low number of young adults and
children in the city (CMAP, 2019). Income levels in the town are slightly lower than the overall
national trends. The city's median income is $58,247, compared to $62,843 nationally
(Census.gov, 2020). Also, the poverty level trends follow a similar pattern, with the city's
poverty rate being 18.4% compared to 11.4% nationally (Census.gov, 2020).
The city has a reasonably diverse population with multiple races and ethnicities
represented. 50% of the people are whites, 16% are African Americans, and 22% are Hispanic or
Latino (Great Cities Institute, 2019). The Asians, Indian Americans, and mixed-race cover the
rest of the minority. Regarding population growth rates, over the last 50 years, the African
American population has declined at unprecedented rates, declining by over 32%. This contrasts
the white and Latino population, which has increased over the same period. The loss of industrial
jobs followed by gentrification, which led to the rise in property and rent prices, explains the
black population's high decrease. As Chen et al. (2018) state, the African Americans were the
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worst hit by these events due to the high poverty and low literacy levels prevalent in this
population. Most of them depended on low-skilled industrial jobs, and thus, deindustrialization
significantly affected their livelihoods. Inversely, the white population is growing, increasing by
over 30%. These are mostly the affluent and educated who are increasingly attracted to the high
skilled jobs and investment opportunities available in the city (CMAP, 2019). Therefore, a look
at the city's population composition shows the contrasting patterns in the racial population
trends.
Also, ethnic enclaves exist in the city. According to Chen et al. (2018), new immigrants
often follow a social network pattern, thus creating small ethnic enclaves. As Binford (n.d.)
observes, Chicago experienced an influx of European immigrants in the industrialization era in
the early 1900s. These immigrants, such as the Poles, Irish, Jews, and Italians, created small
enclaves in the suburbs where they resided. However, with time, individuals from these
ethnicities have moved out and been assimilated to the broader population (Binford, n.d.).
Therefore, such enclaves have declined over time.
Economic Base and Land Use
Chicago has a diversified economy with multiple industries contributing to the city’s
employment and prosperity. Historically, Chicago started as a manufacturing and a transpo...