American Studies 371.01

Urban America

Roger Williams University

GHH 108

M, Th,  2:00 - 3:20 p.m.

Fall, 2016

Michael R. H. Swanson, Ph. D

Office: GHH 215

Hours:  M,  12:00-1:00

T-Th 9:30-10:50 or by Appointment

Phone:   (401) 254-3230

E-mail:  mswanson@rwu.edu

For  Monday, December 19

For Thursday, December 8

Read, in Ray Oldenburg, The Great Good Place

• 1.The Problem of Place in America, pp. 3 - 19
  

• 2.The Character of Third Places,  pp. 20 - 42
  

• 3.The Personal Benefits, pp. 43 - 65
  

• Make sure you take time to look at the pictures, which are in the center of the book.
  

Like Jacobs, Oldenburg isn't very fond of Suburbia.  You will find things in this book which will remind you of the other books we've read in this course since the beginning of the semester, which is why I think it makes a good summary reading for us.  I wish I had been able to move us forward faster, but such is life.  I hope you'll read parts of the  book which I don't assign as well as those I do assign.  You'll find things which are useful in understanding your chosen city. 

REGARDING CHAPTER 1

• You'll quickly realize that Oldenburg is talking about sociological and psychological problems more than he is about physical or economic problems.  In this chapter, you'll find echoes of Rybczynski, and in fact, he mentions some of the same European cities as Rybczynski  did.  There are also echoes of Isenberg and the differences between masculine and feminine attitudes. 
  

• Understand the difference between the "ideal home" and the "ideal city".  Note that there are some indications of the "male superiority complex" in this situation.  He also includes some interesting and perhaps controversial ideas about divorce and the choice of "child-free" homes.  You will want to think about people in your own lives...are people choosing to marry later, if at all, and stay "child free"?  If you have time, look at City Data for your chosen city and see what proportion of households are single parent or "mixed" households (singles as roommates).
  

• See if you can understand why he tries to differentiate  between Great Good Places and places we call hangouts.  What does it mean to hang out?  Do you do it?  if so, with whom and where.
  

REGARDING CHAPTER 2

• Here, Oldenburg goes a little historical on us (you'll see the reflection of this in some of the first pictures in the book's center.  Notice terms like "neutral" and "leveler" and the importance of "conversation".  Note, too, that each "Great Good Place" has its "regulars" and that these really set the character of the place, not management or casual persons.  He also considers how "casuals" become "regulars".  Has this happened to you?  Does it happen sometime on Campus?  What do you think.
  

• Be also aware of his use of terms like playful" and "low profile".  We usually associate terms like these with "unimportant", but not Oldenburg.  Neither do I.  I often remind classes that when kids play they can get so serious in their playing that the end result is tears or the shout of "get out of my yard".  But the next hour or the next day things return to normal.
  

REGARDING CHAPTER 3

• In Oldenburg's view, it is important for every person to have at least one Great Good Place.  What good place do you have.  He mentions a TV series of which you have probably not heard, Rumpole of The Bailey.  Luckily there are episodes available on YouTube.  I'm embedding one below.  I hope you'll have time to watch it and enjoy it--and perhaps some others in the series as well.
  

As usual something is hidden behind the picture. Click to find out what.

Google maps added a new feature.  There are now places, indicated by yellow-orange dots, where one can "enter" a place have a look around.  Not every City has this feature.  See if yours does.  if yours doesn't, you might find an image for one kind of "Great Good Place" or other.  These frequently have websites and/or other images.  Here's one from Minneapolis, below.  Click on it for other images and a look at the neighborhood.  It is called "The Lowbrow".  You might want to visit its website.

In Oldenburg, The Great Good Place, from Part 2

Oldenburg discusses Six different types or areas of Great Good Places: 

• Chapter   7.  German-American Lager Beer Gardens
  

• Chapter  8.   Main Street (particularly "Main Streets" in small towns--which you'll remember can be urban as we discussed in the first class)
  

• Chapter   9.  The English Pub
  

• Chapter 10.  The French Cafe (think of Cafe Central in Bristol)
  

• Chapter 11.  The American Tavern
  

• Chapter 12.  Classic Coffeehouses (my favorite is in Warren).
  

I wish we had time to read all these chapters, but alas, we don't.  I would like all of you to choose three of the above, find examples of them in your own chosen city, and we'll discuss them briefly as we end our time together.  Thanks very much for taking this class.  I hope you enjoyed it.

This Coffee Shop has always made sure that it is in the "vicinity" (sorry about the joke).  It is in Minneapolis, Minnesota.  Click on it to visit it on Google Maps.  Click here to visit its website.  Is this the kind of place in which you would like to "hang out".  I think I would.  See if you can find your favorite type of hangout in your chosen city and add a picture or link to your resource folder.