There Goes the Neighborhood: Racial, Ethnic, and Class Tensions in Four Chicago Neighborhoods and...
A stunning, long-awaited book that looks at the (still) shocking truths of race, ethnicity, and class in America today.
William Julius Wilso... read full description
William Julius Wilso... read full description
reviews
Jun 10, 2009
Nancy
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William Julius Wilson
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A fascinating easy to read study of 4 Chicago neighborhoods and how they each have dealt with issues of integration or self definition. Explains a lot about current tensions in cities. More...
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A fascinating easy to read study of 4 Chicago neighborhoods and how they each have dealt with issues of integration or self definition. Explains a lot about current tensions in cities. More...
Feb 04, 2008
Katherine
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This is a quick, reasonably well-written, often very disheartening read about well, racial and class tensions in four (Southwest Side) Chicago neighborhoods. I definitely want to read Wilson's other works, but my rating of this one may be unduly harsh because I truly don't understand why it took the researchers so long to publish this work. I've lived in Chicago a long time (12+ years) and many areas (South Loop, Maxwell Street, much of East Village/West Town) are incredibly, almost unrecognizab
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Sep 07, 2011
Huma
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A solid, though not groundbreaking by any means, study of racial tensions and ramifications in four Chicago neighborhoods, guarded by pseudonyms. The main argument is that neighborhoods are very likely to remain segregated, but for a multitude of complicated reasons. The author looks at the education crisis, as well as the horrible consequences of the Bush administration's drastic cuts in federal aid to the states. The author analyzes what makes communities strong, and advances solutions like na
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Feb 06, 2009
Gajus
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The authors are particularly focused on what causes a neighborhood to reach the "tipping point" of racial turnover. An interesting study, but unfortunately they have little to say about what conditions might lead to successful integration and coexistence (and, in fact, are somewhat pessimistic about it). Please write more about how to achieve my NPR-listening latte liberal fantasies next time.
Apr 21, 2010
Emily
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Unfortunately, I didn't find anything in this book very surprising. Some people in Chicago can get along with each other, but many others only want to live by people just like themselves. Many old people are suspicious of young people, many Polish people are angry about Mexican people, many Puerto Rican people are afraid of black people. Sad, but a fairly obvious situation if you've ever walked around in any neighborhood of Chicago. I wish they had studied at least one neighborhood that was gent
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Mar 23, 2008
Julia
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You gotta love Wilson. This books describes 4 neighborhoods in Chicago with different racial make-ups and different levels of resident turnover. The book focuses on how residents choose to react to neighborhood change in terms of two options- voice or escape.
I wish I could say I was surprised by anything in this book, but our country's attitude toward race appears to be the same as it has been for decades. But it's always good to check in with the individuals who make this count More...
I wish I could say I was surprised by anything in this book, but our country's attitude toward race appears to be the same as it has been for decades. But it's always good to check in with the individuals who make this count More...
May 27, 2009
sophie
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A boring, sketchily written description of how four Chicago neighborhoods have dealt with racial changes and tensions over the last 20 or so years. I was really excited to read this book and sorely disappointed by it.
Dec 12, 2010
Kimberly
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America has often been characterized as a melting pot, constantly creating an ever-changing blend of races and cultures. Indeed, many citizens still cling to the notion that the residential desegregation of neighborhoods is achievable. The research conducted for this book, however, strongly suggests that neighborhoods in urban America, especially in large metropolitan areas like Chicago, are likely to remain divided, racially and culturally. This has profound implications for the future of ra
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May 26, 2010
mike
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Apart from the interest that might someday come to this book as an archeological relic of late-twentieth-century urban ethnography, I don't envision anyone caring much about this book's contents.
Sep 09, 2008
K
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Fascinating read - I have guesses for the neighborhoods, but since all of these studies took place when I was in elementary school, I'm not quite sure. Fellow Chicagoans - read it and confirm!
Jul 30, 2008
Addie
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Interesting study of changing neighborhoods in Chicago - not exactly riveting, but defintely worth reading if you live in Chicago & social issues are important to you.
Apr 27, 2008
Krista
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WOW! This is a great read about the transformation that is happening in a lot of cities but is set in Chicago
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