Twentieth Century Urban Growth: An Ecological Approach

Abstract

This research involves a longitudinal analysis of a large number of urban areas for two distinct historical periods during the Twentieth Century. The study indicates that while human ecology's general assumption that sustenance activity regulates community growth is correct, the theory overemphasizes the role of industrial capacity in this process. Growth appears to be more a function of a community's managerial activity than its production capacity. Basic-non-basic activity theory fails to predict a community's growth potential. Nevertheless one aspect of sustenance activity, the city's role in coordinating goods and services flows, has a significant impact on growth. Several other ecological variables, region and the extent of transportation activity, influence urban growth. Yet none of these factors show consistent relationships with growth through time.     

On the Determinants of Class Legislation: an Ecological Study of Political Struggles Between Workers and Management*

The state controls many matters of conflict between labor and management. This study attempts to identify the social conditions that lead to laws which favor either side in their ongoing struggle for influence. Using a cross-sectional ecological design I found that political systems with more blacks were least likely to have public policies in the interest of the working class. Other relevant factors which had less consistent effects were the type of enterprise and the level of resources in an area. Generally, the results are consistent with theories that racial antagonisms undermine the political efforts of workers.     

Overtime and Undertime: An Analysis of Hours Worked*

Drawing on 1980 Public Use Microdata Samples (PUMS), this study compares the determinants of annual hours of work for whites, blacks, and mainland-born Puerto Ricans residing in the New York SMSA in 1979. Two theoretical approaches are tested; a neoclassical specification and an extended structural model. The analysis supports both approaches. Few differences in coefficients exist between white and minority men, but the hours of minority women are less sensitive to family demands than are those of white women. The implications of these and other findings are discussed.     

Network Analysis in East Africa: The Social Organization of Urban Transients*

Des analyses sociologiques de villes en Afrique de l'Est et ailleurs, indiquent qu'elles peuvent être décrites de façon utile en tant que composantes de réseaux sociaux. On a cherché, récemment, à classifier les propriétés structurales de plusieurs genres de réseaux. Cependant, on a négligé l'analyse de facteurs sous-jacents à la persistance de ces réseaux. Cet article est centré sur la mobilité géographique que l'on conçoit comme l'un ces facteurs. De cette manière, on est non seulement amenéà mieux comprendre les réseaux sociaux urbains mais aussi à suggérer une complète refonte de la théorie sociologique urbaine classique. Sociological analysis of towns in East Africa, and elsewhere, indicate that they may be usefully described as composites of social networks. Recently much discussion has been directed towards a classification of the structural properties of various kinds of networks. However, less attention has been paid to an analysis of the factors underlying the persistence of these networks. This paper focuses on geographical mobility as one such factor, not only as a means of understanding urban social networks but also to suggest a rethinking of classical urban sociological theory.     

Influencing Common Sense Interpretations Of An Urban Setting: The Freeway Coffee Shop*

This paper attempts to make explicit the process and strategies by which one urban setting (a freeway coffee shop) attempts to guide, influence, and direct the interpretations of passersby. In this way, we might begin to see how urban settings and organizations construct and manage impressions which facilitate the codification schemes of urbanites. Finally, the approach suggested in this paper is one which will hopefully contribute to the broader study of urban social organization. The data were collected through informal conversations, unstructured interviews, and participant observation.     

Growth and Succession in Suburban Communities*

Previous studies of the growth of metropolitan communities, drawing primarily on ecological theory as represented by Burgess' concentric zone model of the metropolis, have highlighted the effects of distance from the city center on community development. Using data from one major suburban region, we show that a more complete examination of Burgess' ecological life-cycle theory should deal also with the effects of initial development pattern, age of housing stock, minority and low-income presence, and social heterogeneity. In addition we argue that the latter three variables also can be interpreted as measures of the potential for collective action of residents to restrict development, and show that an explicitly political characteristic—incorporation—has a significant impact on one dimension of succession. We conclude that rather than limiting attention to the effects of distance (simplifying Burgess' model to central place theory), studies of growth should address more directly the interaction between ecological processes and the socio-political framework within which they operate.     

城市增长与生活碳排放的理论研究

实现“低碳城市”不仅需要产业转型和技术革新,也需要生活方式逐步向“低碳”方式转变。本文重点关注城市的生活碳排放,从经济学的研究视角,综述国内外有关城市发展（主要体现为经济增长、人口增长和空间蔓延三个标志特征）与生活碳排放的理论研究成果;并根据国内的研究,简要介绍当前中国城市生活碳排放的构成及空间分布特点。     

Status and Career Decision: An Analysis of the Time Dimension*

This paper reports on a study which examined the input parental status has on the timing of career decision. Data for this study were collected by means of questionnaire from graduating seniors from 24 colleges and universities. It was hypothesized that students from upper-status parents would choose their future career later in their life than would students with lower-status parents. Although the data tend to support the hypothesis, it seems to hold more true for females than for males. This difference was attributed to the varying emphasis placed upon the responsibility for the achievement of success.     

An Ecological Approach to Examining Cumulative Violence Exposure Among Urban,African American Adolescents

Using an ecological approach, this study examined experiences with community, family, and partner violence within a sample of 280 urban, African American high school students. The prevalence of each type of violence by gender, associations between severe violence exposure, and the rate of exposure to multiple types of violence were examined. Findings include high rates of exposure to each type of violence, with significant gender differences on several indicators of community violence and intimate partner violence victimization; among the female students, associations between each type of severe violence exposure; and a very high rate of exposure to two or more types of violence. Implications for social work practice are discussed.     

Persistence of Suburban Violent Crime Rates: An Ecological Analysis

Abstract

A lagged endogenous variable structural model of 1970 suburban violent crime rates is constructed and evaluated using a sample of 252 large suburbs for which 1960 and 1970 official crime data were available. It was found that suburban crime rates are persistent, that employment specialization and percent low income affect change in violent crime rates, and that suburban age, density, employment specialization, percent low income, percent Black, and region have substantial indirect effects on 1970 crime rates through earlier areal crime rates. Despite theoretical expectations, population growth and age composition exerted no significant direct or indirect effects on violent crime or changes in violent crime rates.     

城市青年透支消费心理及行为探析

透支消费不仅是当代青年的一种生活方式,也是一种文化方式,直接影响着他们的思维方式与行为方式.透支消费对当代青年的成长有其积极的一面,它可以成为人们奋发工作的推动力、自我约束的紧箍咒和独立意识的催化剂,从更深层次上培养强化青年人的独立意识和自立能力.但透支消费也给青年的成长带来一些消极因素,滋长青年唯我独尊的个性品质,养成狭隘片面、急功近利的思维方式,甚至造成人格上的自私贪婪.因此,社会应对当代青年的透支消费给予正确的舆论指导与政策引导.     

An Analysis of Differential Assimilation Rates among Middle-class Mexican Americans*

The investigation focused on the identification of variables which might help explain differential assimilation rates among middle-class Mexican Americans. The data were collected from a random probability sample of 151 middle-class Mexican Americans residing in Waco, Austin. McAllen, and Lubbock, Texas. Three Likert-type scales designed to measure various components of the assimilation process were developed out of items abstracted from standardized interview schedules. The multiple correlation technique was used to identify independent variables which contributed significantly to a regression model for explaining variation in scores on each of the three scales. The findings suggested that early socialization patterns incorporating a discontinuous status sequence and a lack of reinforcement as Mexican-American increase the probability that the individual will assimilate into the broader American cultural system.     

Quebec Separatism: An Analysis of Determinants within Social-Class Levels*

Cet article présente les résultats d'une analyse secondaire portant sur les données recueillies par la technique de l'enquête sur échantillon en 1968 en fonction de l'étendue et des corollaires de l'opinion séparatiste chez les adultes québécois d'expression française. L'analyse se rapporte principalement aux déterminants du séparatisme chez les nouvelles classes professionnelles moyennes. Quant aux classes laborieuses et agricoles, quelques données comparatives amènent de nouveaux éclairages. En s'appuyant sur les interprétations avancées auparavant on établit un modèle de l'appui séparatiste. En contrôlant le niveau professionnel, par le biais du « path analysis » on cherche à déceler l'impact de sept variables indépendantes. Le modèle de l'appui séparatiste fournit les éléments qui expliquent le mieux le comportement de la nouvelle classe moyenne; il explique aussi 40 pour cent de la variance dans la variable dépendante pour les professionnels et les semi-professionnels et 43 pour cent de la variance pour les gérants, les dirigeants et les propriéaires. L'impact des variables indépendantes sur l'appui séparatiste varie en fonction du niveau professionnel. A titre d'exemple, la conscience ethnique canadienne française, la méfiance du gouvernement fédéral, et le mécontentement produisent les effets indépendants les plus forts chez la classe moyenne tandis que l'insécuritééconomique et l'orientation économico-politique de gauche exercent en général une influence des plus forte chez les man?uvres et les fermiers. This paper reports a secondary analysis of 1968 survey data on the extent and correlates of separatist opinion among French-speaking adults in Quebec. The analysis focuses on determinants of separatism within new middle-class occupational levels, but some comparative data are provided for the lower classes and farmers as well. A model of separatist support is constructed based on an interpretation of the previous literature and, controlling for occupational level, the effects of seven independent and intervening variables are explored in path analyses. The model of separatist support fits the new middle class best and explains 40 per cent of the variance in the dependent variable for professionals and semiprofessionals and 43 per cent for managers, officials, and proprietors. The effect of the independent variables on separatist support varied by occupational level. For example, French-Canadian ethnic consciousness, distrust of the federal government and personal dissatisfaction had their strongest independent effects within the new middle class, while economic insecurity and left politicoeconomic orientation generally had their strongest effects on separatist support among unskilled workers and farmers.     

Patterns of Growth in Welfare Bureaucracies*

This longitudinal study of the growth of forty-six state welfare departments takes as a point of departure a closed system model of organizational growth. The various components (central office size, managerial components, caseworker component, clerical component) are analyzed in terms of (1) the relationship between the initial size of a component and its growth rate; (2) a comparison of different rates of growth for different components; and (3) the influence of increased work load and environmental complexity on the growth of components. The findings indicate that, for the central office, managerial, and clerical components, the initial size and growth rate are negatively related. The casework component accounts for the greatest amount of total organizational growth and is directly affected by increased work load. Finally, the growth of the managerial component is directly influenced by both increased work load and environmental complexity (i.e., urbanization).     

Growth Management and Agriculture: An Examination of Local Efforts to Manage Growth and Preserve Farmland in Wisconsin Cities,Villages, and Towns*

Abstract In this paper we examine the effectiveness of growth management policies in Wisconsin cities, villages, and towns. Unlike most other studies, we consider the impact of growth management policies on agriculture, specifically the preservation of farmland, in addition to population growth. Our analysis examines these relationships separately in towns and in cities/villages because of differences in their institutional structures. We mailed a survey to every city, village, and town in Wisconsin; the surveys were supplemented by data collected from several secondary sources. For both towns and cities/villages, growth management policies are related positively to the rate of population growth. The fiscal structure of localities proved to have a stronger effect on population growth for cities and villages than for towns. Growth management capacity had little effect for either type of municipality. The analysis of farmland preservation suggests that exclusive agriculture zoning is marginally effective in limiting farmland conversion in towns, but ineffective in cities/villages.