Urban Studies and Planning Commons^™

Cosmopolitanism And Urban Space In Doha, Qatar, Andrew M. Gardner

All Faculty Scholarship

This essay commences with an ethnographic sojourn through the Industrial Area, a peripheral zone of the urban landscape in Doha, Qatar that is densely inhabited by low wage migrant laborers. In this segregated urban enclave, I ascertain the openness to alterity and the interactions with difference that connect their experiences to the conceptual legacy of cosmopolitanism. Via a discussion of the segregated experiences of transnational migrants in Doha’s urban landscape, I then stake out a speculative argument for the connection between that segregation and the resulting cosmopolitan conditions. Together, these two assertions explore manifestations of cosmopolitan urbanism in non-Western and …

Understanding Social Class In Place: Responding To Supergentrification In Aspen, Colorado, Jenny Stuber, Krista E. Paulsen

Urban Studies and Community Development Faculty Publications and Presentations

Existing research portrays elite places as prone to exclusion, welcoming of upscaling, and focused on protecting their economic self-interests. This paper provides nuance to this research by exploring how stakeholders understand and respond to supergentrification. During the fall of 2016, a group of citizen activists in the exclusive community of Aspen, Colorado, initiated an ordinance seeking to limit the expansion of luxury chain stores. Drawing on qualitative data related to this case, we show that how communities respond to supergentrification depends on locally specific understandings of place and social class, and how class interests have been institutionalized in local policies. …

Our Diversity Is Our Strength: Explaining Variation In Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion Emphasis In Municipal Arts And Cultural Plans, Carolyn G. Loh, Amanda Ashley, Leslie Durham, Karen Bubb

Urban Studies and Planning Faculty Research Publications

Problem, Research Strategy and Findings: Municipal arts and cultural plans direct significant amounts of public investment and set far-reaching policies, as arts and culture investment becomes an increasingly widespread economic development strategy. While these plans frequently advertise the city’s diversity, they often lack specific strategies for supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion. In addition, the creation of these plans often does not involve urban planners, nor do the plans often connect to the city’s comprehensive plan or contain the types of fact bases and commitments to equity that comprehensive plans do. In this study of 64 US municipal arts and cultural …

Justice Served Fresh: Associations Between Food Insecurity, Community Gardening, And Property Value, Micajah Daniels, Courtney Coughenour Ph.D

McNair Poster Presentations

Numerous stakeholders in Nevada have used a variety of efforts to combat the growth of food insecurity facing Nevadans. The purpose of this research project is to understand the association between food insecurity, community gardens, and property value. Following the wealth of scholarship on these topics and data collected from community garden agencies in Southern Nevada, the research questions for this project include: (1) Where are community gardens located in SNV? (2) What efforts community gardens agencies are doing to address food insecurity (most interested in their efforts using community gardens)? (3) What are the perceptions of supports and barriers …

Visions Of Public Space: Reproducing And Resisting Social Hierarchies In A Community Garden, Sofya Aptekar

Publications and Research

Urban public spaces are sites of struggles over gentrification. In increasingly diverse cities, these public spaces also host interactions among people of different class, race, ethnicity, and immigration status. How do people share public spaces in contexts of diversity and gentrification? I analyze the conflicting ways of imagining shared spaces by drawing on an ethnographic study of a community garden in a diverse and gentrifying neighborhood in New York City, conducted between 2011 and 2013. I examine how conflicts among gardeners about the aesthetics of the garden and norms of conduct reproduce larger gentrification struggles over culture and resources. Those …

Regional Influences On Political Identity: Canadian And U.S. Urban Comparisons, Susan Mason

Urban Studies and Community Development Faculty Publications and Presentations

Scholars have expanded the academic literature to understand the way culture may influence politics but much less work has considered the influence of region on cities and individuals. The article uses existing data to examine whether liberalism is influenced by the region where individuals and cities are located. The study uses the boolean method and Hierarchical Linear Modeling to control for both individual and city level effects in 8 Canadian cities and 46 U.S. cities. The findings support the supposition that place still matters even in an era when globalization threatens to standardize much of what makes up our communities.

Historically Black Colleges And Universities: Sustaining A Culture Of Excellence In The 21st Century, Nia I. Cantey, Robert Bland, Lakerri R. Mack, Danielle Joy Davis

Social Work and Urban Studies Faculty Research

Historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) continue to provide a substantial role in the black community and in higher education by providing a culture of excellence. Yet, their role in higher education is the center of many academic and political debates. Defining this role has been thwarted with questions of HBCUs relevance in society, in the African American community, and in higher education. The relevance of HBCUs is neither the dilemma nor the question for higher education and HBCUs. The conundrum for HBCUs is ensuring that they are equipped with the necessary tools to address global and economic 21^{st …}

A Qualitative Approach To Spiral Of Silence Research: Self-Censorship Narratives Regarding Environmental And Social Conflict, Christopher John Ryan

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The purpose of this research is to seek narratives of self-censorship from in-depth interviews of 19 participants acquired through a purposive (criterion) sampling protocol. The primary research question driving this study is “What types of sanctions contribute to people choosing to self-censor their strongly held beliefs, values, and opinions.” Previous research conducted on the topic of self-censorship (generally under the rubric of the spiral of silence theory) has been predominantly quantitative and consideration of sanctions influencing self-censorship have been limited to fear of social isolation. I suggest that ostensibly important sanction variables have not been utilized within these existing frameworks. …

Private Rights And Collective Governance: A Functional Approach To Natural Resources Law, Eric T. Freyfogle

The Future of Natural Resources Law and Policy (Summer Conference, June 6-8)

4 pages.

"Eric T. Freyfogle, Max L. Rowe Professor of Law, University of Illinois College of Law"

Either/Or? Will Climate Change Force A Choice Between Salmon And Electricity In The Northwest?, John M. Volkman

Water, Climate and Uncertainty: Implications for Western Water Law, Policy, and Management (Summer Conference, June 11-13)

12 pages and 16 slides

Includes bibliographical references

"John M. Volkman, Partner, Stoel Rives LLP, Portland, Oregon"

Early Observations On The 2000 Census, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"The 281.4 million residents of our country counted in 2000 exceeded census estimates of 274.5 by nearly seven million and 13.2 percent, was the largest numeric gain for a decade in the history of census taking, dating back to 1790 when the first one was taken. Swelled by immigrant numbers and holding a steady birth rate, this increase topped the previously highest increase of 28 million of the baby boom years of the 1950s."

A Scheme For Using Our Valuable Land Wisely, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"In the American experience we assume that a house has windows on all four sides and sideyards to separate our house from that of our neighbor. it wasn't until I lived in England and discovered that this most common type of housing in our country was referred to as 'detached' housing in that country to differentiate it from the 'attached' housing in which they commonly live. In England the dream of a young couple is to attain a 'semi' i.e., a semidetached house, or what we call a duplex, while we in this richer country aspire to attain a detached …

A Tale Of Two Cities, Similar, But Also Quite Different, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"Five years ago I wrote a column for this paper about a visit to Worcester, especially to explore the newly opened Worcester Fashion Common OUtlets. When I told my daughter who works in the area that I was going for a weekend in Worcester, she asked 'Why?' The report that I wrote was not a positive one."

Charting The Census Count On The Way To Our Woodsian Future, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"Our country is a wonderful example of the world in miniature. because of our generous immigration policy which allows approximately one million persons to enter the country each year and to come from almost any country in the world, it is not necessary to go out in search of different people and cultures for almost all are to be found here. Whether one talks of the Hispanics and Native Americans of the Southwest, the AfroAmericans of the South, the Asians of Hawaii, the whites of the North or the more than 120 national groups found in the Elmhurst neighborhood of …

Tiger Woods, A Herald For The Blending Of The Races In U.S., Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"Tiger Woods, perennial winner of gold tournaments, has a unique way of describing his ancestry. When asked his background, e claims to be a "Caublasin," i.e., Caucasoid, Black, Asian and Indian. But, in reality, the Tiger may not be unique in a country that is now moving toward becoming a blended multiracial society."

Cultural Contribution Of The Capital City, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"I like Providence, but it was not always so. As a youngster, growing up between Boston and Providence, my friends and I very seldom ventured south into that city of corruption, clutter and crime; after all this was where the Mob was centered. Rightly or wrongly, that was the image that was conveyed."

Identifying Differences Is A Problem, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"Her mother is black and Native American; her father is Mexican and Italian; so with what racial and ethnic group does she identify? On her college entrance application she wrote "African-American." This topnotch student, with demonstrated ability in scholarship, athletics, music, leadership and community involvement, is exactly the type of student Harvard wants, sos he has been invited to be in its entering class this fall. No small feat since nine of 10 applicants are rejected.

Ethnicity and race are two of the 10 criteria used at Harvard in making selections for admission, for diversity is the key word today, …

Agenda: Challenging Federal Ownership And Management: Public Lands And Public Benefits, University Of Colorado Boulder. Natural Resources Law Center

Challenging Federal Ownership and Management: Public Lands and Public Benefits (October 11-13)

Conference organizers, speakers and/or moderators included University of Colorado School of Law professors David H. Getches, Michael A. Gheleta, Teresa Rice, Elizabeth Ann (Betsy) Rieke and Charles F. Wilkinson.

In the face of numerous proposals for privatizing, marketing, and changing the management of public lands, the Natural Resources Law Center will hold its third annual fall public lands conference October 11-13, at the CU School of Law in Boulder.

A panel of public land users and neighbors, including timber, grazing, mining, recreation, and environmental interests, will address current discontent with public land policy and management. There will also be discussion …

A Third World View Of Cities, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"It may come as a surprise to many Americans that most cities of the world are the places to which people come flocking, hoping to find a better life. In this country where people still flee the city looking for the American dream out in the suburbs, this pattern of movement contrasts sharply with that experienced by most of the world's people. Growing urbanism is a force in the world that needs to be better understood, for here are opportunities as well as problems."

Visiting Worcester Makes One Appreciate Providence, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"A friend of mine works in the Worcester area, so I thought she would be the one to ask about things to do there. When I told her that we were going to New England's second largest city for the weekend, she asked 'Why?'"

In R.I. Bad Driving Is A Way Of Life, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"A transplanted Rhode Islander, now living in Portland, Oregon tells an amusing story about Rhode Island drivers. Having lived in Oregon's major city for two years and driving there every day, she became accustomed to the good driving habits of the residents of that city and its suburbs, containing a population about 50 percent greater than that of the Providence metropolitan area. She claims that in those two years of driving she was never once frightened by someone cutting into the traffic lane in which she was driving, until recently. And then it happened, the car to her left cut …

The Portland Of The Pacific Beguiles, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"When Amos Lovejoy of Boston and Francis Pettygrove of Portland sought to name the clearing in the Oregon forest called 'Stumptown' (because of the tree stumps remaining from frequent fires set by the Indians), each wanted to honor the New England city from which he came. By the toss of a coin, Pettygrove was the winner, and the Portland of the Northeast had its counterpart in the Portland of the Northwest."

We All Benefit From A Clean Providence, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"Walking along the newly relocated Woonasquatucket River and observing the new walks, roadways and bridges, one cannot help but be impressed by this continuing evidence of the revitalization of the capital city's downtown. Equally impressive is the general overall cleanliness of this area and the rest of the city center. It was not always so."

Glory Days Of Suburbia Are Over, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"Most Rhode Islanders would undoubtedly agree with Donald Wyatt's sterling endorsement of suburbia (Commentary Page, Sept. 7) and many would envy the wonderful experience he says he has had living in Warwick these past 40 years. After all, the suburbs are the habitat of most Rhode Islanders as well as most other Americans and, it sis presumed, these folks live there through choice."

Coping With Car Congestion, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"Ah, the joy of the automobile! Driving with the windows closed to eliminate outside noise and to get the full effect of the four-speaker stereo while listening to Sibelius, Brooks or Franklin, depending on one's taste; sitting in seats more comfortable than those in the living room at home; and taking in the colorful foliage along this country road in the rural wester part of the state where we are the only car on the road--how could life be any better??

Rhode Island Is Bigger Than Nauru, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"It's not easy being the smallest kid on the block. Taunting and joking about ones small physical stature can do an awful job on one's ego and self-esteem. In a sense, the same is true if one is a resident of the smallest state."

Ethnic Mix Enriches Culture, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"Rhode Island is unique. It is the smallest state in the country, has a different religious majority, has one of the oldest populations and has one of the largest varieties of ethnic groups in the country."

Gigantic Malls Bring Downtown To Suburbia, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"The recent opening of the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minn., has probably received more publicity than any other shopping center in the nation. This behemoth of shopping malls is certainly something to experience, but the real question is whether this $650 million investment has a future."

Planning For People And Beauty, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"Tourists who return from England frequently say the same thing: "What a beautiful country!" True enough, but it did not just happen. A naturally occurring rolling landscape and a climate to keep it green helped, to be sure. But strict government-imposed planning accounts for much of beauty [sic] of present-day England, too."

That Precious 'Ambience', Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"Colette Peters, former Rhode Island School of Design student, renowned cake baker and author of Colette's Cakes, was recently asked about her food memories of Providence. This current resident of New York said, 'Haven Brothers! We'd go to Haven Brothers for hot dogs when I was a student at RISD. It was what we could afford.'"