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The Week's Work

American Studies 334
Urban America
Roger Williams University
T, TH 12:30 -1:50
GHH 105
Fall, 2009
Michael R. H. Swanson, Ph. D
Office: GWH 215
Hours: T, 11:00-12:30
M, W, F,  1:00-2:00
Phone:   (401) 254-3230
E-mail:  amst334urban@gmail.com
NEWS FLASH:Time Warp hits Bristol, Rhode Island.  A mysterious Cristobal Colon ray, projected from someplace in southern Europe (Portugal? Italy?) is headed toward the extreme southern end of Bristol, Rhode Island.  This phenomenon appears on a yearly cycle.  Mainly harmless to humans and undetectable by other species, this ray has the confusing effect of transposing Monday's Schedule to Tuesday and eliminating the Tuesday Schedule together.
The Vikings tried to protect RWU, but were overwhelmed.  We will meet on Thursday, once the Cristobal  Colon ray has passed.
For Tuesday, October 13
Read, in Death and Life of Great American Cities:

Part II.  The Conditions for City Diversity.

10.  The Need for Aged Buildings, 187 - 199
11.  The Need for Concentration, 200 - 221
12.  Some Myths about Diversity, 222 - 228
Notes on the Readings:
Cities have the capability of providing something for everybody, only because, and only when, they are created by everybody.
Jane Jacobs
As I remarked before, much of the power of Jane Jacobs' book comes from the rigorous structure of the argument.  Part One establishes Diversity as a measure of healthy urban life.  Part Two looks at what makes for diversity: the factors which make diversity within city districts possible.  She identifies four which are crucial enough to be considered needs.  The six chapters in part two are organized almost as if they could stand by themselves: Chapter 7 serves as an introduction, and Chapter 12 as a discussion for chapters 8 through 11.
One of the great reforms of the last years of the 19th century was to use zoning to create districts within cities and towns in which only one type of activity took place.  Recently the logic of this has been questioned by a number of urban critics, including James Howard Kunstler, author of The Geography of Nowhere.  Perhaps the first person to raise the issue was Jane Jacobs.  Use this chapter to seek examples of mixed primary uses as well as to understand what happens when these are not present.
Chapter 10. Need for Aged Buildings.
The most interesting idea here, in my estimation at least, is the idea that cities need buildings which are not in prime condition.  When Jacobs argues for "aged" buildings, she is not doing this because of their intrinsic charm or historic value, but for another reason altogether.  You will need to know what this is, and why she sees this as important.
Chapter 11. Need for Concentration.
Traditionally, Americans have looked at high population densities as a bad thing.   Much of the sprawl we see around our cities has resulted from a push for less density.  Jacobs challenges this concept and suggests that high density is in fact not a bad thing at all.  You'll need to understand why.
Chapter 12.  Some Myths about Diversity.
A myth is a commonly held belief upon which persons act as if it were true.  If the myth is true, obviously there is no harm.  If the myth is merely irrelevant, there is no harm done, either.  But if the myth is false, then the behavior arising from it is positively harmful, and may evoke disaster in the long run.  The myths Jacobs identifies are these:

Diversity is Ugly
Diversity causes Traffic Congestion
Diversity invites ruinous Uses.

As you read this section see how Jane Jacobs counters each of these myths with her exposition of the real situation.
"James Howard Kunstler is the author of The Geography of Nowhere and Home from Nowhere, two books that brought the specter of suburbia to light for millions of Americans and struck a nerve among those longing for a better place to live.  His relentless dogging of suburbia is well founded: "I believe a lot of people share my feelings about the tragic landscape of highway strips, parking lots, housing tracts, mega-malls, junked cities, and ravaged countryside that makes up the everyday environment where most Americans live and work." Visit the website of Traditional Neighborhood Design to read a transcript of  Kunstler "in mid-rant," by clicking on his picture at the left.
Tour Kentlands
Kentlands is a brand new "surburban" town within commuting distance of Washington, D. C.  It is built to the principles of New Urbanism, a movement which owes much to Jane Jacobs' thought.  Click on the Illustration to tour it.
Mott Avenue in Mott Haven, New York City
Lest we think that all of New York City is like Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, consider Mott Avenue in The Bronx.  This neighborhood demonstrates Jacobs' point about the necessity for aged buildings.  Click on the picture to tour Motthaven, and to visit a super website, Forgotten New York, click here.
Is Diversity Ugly, or is Uniformity?  Click on the picture of Laguna Niguel, California,  for an article on the effects of suburban sprawl in California.
Does Diversity cause traffic congestion or does uniformity?  Count the cars and other vehicles in this very small segment of an interstate highway during the daily commute for another insight into the problems caused by separating human activies across too much geographical space.  Click on the image for a study of Urban Sprawl at Science Daily
For Thursday, October 15
One group has already indicated an  interest in investigating  New York.  But New York is so huge it could be a course in itself.  What we know as New York City was created by consolidating five independent cities into one.  I'd like to encourage that group to choose one of the burroughs of New York city for its focus--Brooklyn or The Bronx would be ideal.