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COMPURB-L:
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COMPURB-L |
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sharing of information on something which has been basically a crucible of
human/environmental history for the past 10,000 years--the effects of urbanization. Why
then a separate list devoted to comparative urbanization? Because COMPURB-L list members
simply wish to focus more attention upon the urban form in an interdisciplinary and
theoretical vein. Firstly, its political economy, structural and cultural changes, issues of governance, social movements, environmental relationships--all are seen as a fruitful methodology for historical and sociological study which overlap many disciplines. This can simultaneously provide insight into our past and our present experience, whether in a strict theoretical sense or in a critical vein. Secondly, this list for comparative study can help to formulate a much more rigorous model for 'comparative urban studies.' As many I am sure are aware, what has passed for 'comparative' and 'international' in scope in the literature was typically an exploration into 'European' urbanization or was geared towards examining the process of 'democratization' or 'capitalization.' In the spirit of a keynote address, I offer the following ideas to generate some guidelines for discussion. I foresee four major threads being stitched together in this list: the historical, the sociological, the philosophical, and the methodological. The point is that the phenomenon of urbanization can serve as an organizing principle of these areas.
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HISTORICAL |
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The historical component would deal with developmental issues of urbanization from any epoch. What are the effects on human cultures comparatively speaking as they undergo urbanization? What differences would counterpoint useful factors? What are the environmental effects of urbanization? Are they the same for urban cultures worldwide, in all epochs? What differences would elucidate the process of urbanization? Taking into consideration that ecological degradation has historically been the handmaiden to urbanization, where do we 'go' now that much of the world is urbanized and the dialectic of expansion and urbanization is nearly ended as a cycle? What will occur sociopolitically at such a point? The historical will be concerned with data and empirical bases of the following areas.
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SOCIOLOGICAL |
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The sociological component has been explored extensively in urban sociology, especially within the past 20 years, yet it has not been utilized as a comparative methodology in a structural and spatial sense except in rare occasions. What forms will our social lives take and what will structure those lives? What are the sociological ramifications of urbanization? What makes them different (if they are) from other forms of organized communities? What drives urban planning policies?
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PHILOSOPHICAL |
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Other component disciplines which I anticipate can donate (and take) much from looking at comparative urbanization studies are: economics, geography, political sociology, anthropology, environmental history, ecology, world history, philosophy of history, environmental sociology, the sociology of economic change, cultural studies, the history of technology, and nomadic studies (for cross cultural comparison and economic change questions).
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METHODOLOGICAL |
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The list will of course be interested in extrapolating comparative information from the phenomenon of urbanization, taking it as a premise that variations can teach as much as patterns, particularly considering that societies are social processes with many interrelated forces, interests and exclusions seemingly embedded in the fabric of social and urban space. How can further research be structured to explore variations or patterns? Interesting examples of how already existing research has been conducted, as well as recent examples, will be of interest.
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REJOINDERS |
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Though I have established this list with a scholarly, theoretical, and applied intent on comparative issues, by no means is that tacitly discouraging those interested in other questions to avoid querying for information or supplying their viewpoints. That is the point of the list. If we are unable to handle critique or information 'outside accustomed channels,' there is something wrong. Comparative studies should be inherently interdisciplinary, and the list depends upon those of diverse backgrounds contributing their special share to develop a useful framework of study. The point of the list is the discussion of the value of what should go into this comparative framework. So as you host I am suggesting you ask these questions: What heuristics can enlighten urban study? Are there any examples/counterexamples which would be useful? Why is this important in comparative issues and where could it take the inquiry? In the applied sense, what problematics could be endemically urban phenomena, and what courses can be taken? In the applied sense, I expect the list to be a useful resource for urban and regional planning interests, for comments and questions which widen the channels of available information for those interested/concerned with urban planning issues. The sharing of information and the weighing of its utility are going to go hand in hand. Though the list is established to be a forum for exchange for theoretical/applied issues dealing with the urban form, historical process, and social organization, the urban form is only the grander organizational point for dealing with the wider effects of social structure in discussing human interaction, and ideological and tangible cultural production processes in history--how we process the urban site culturally, and how the urban site processes and qualifies our repertoire of activities, associations, life paths, and creative action (at least that is my particular interest.). I would invite and appreciate anyone interested in 'nomadic' peoples to sit in on this group as a 'gadfly' and keep us from making any urban specific generalizations which are unwarranted. I also invite people to explain areas where they have found a dearth of information and expected more. Sometimes that is more interesting than finding a wealth of information, since it helps explain different disciplines' methodologically 'normal' pathways and suggests other approaches.
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ROUTER FOR CONFERENCES, FUNDING, REVIEWS, ETC. |
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Over the past year, this list has become a major router for conference announcements and potential funding sources dealing with urban issues. Occasionally, it has book reviews forwarded as well. If you have any additional information related to these areas, the list would be an ideal way to notify a wide public from many different backgrounds with an interest in urban issues. As of January 17, 2002, there are 245 members from a worldwide geographic and institutional base.
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LANGUAGES |
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Personally, I have the use of English and French. I have forwarded many reviews/posts in both English and/or French, as I know there are more than a handful of subscribers from Canada and France who would find it potentially useful. On the whole, this list has so far been conducted in English, however. This is less a calculated policy, and more a result of default languages that have been used in posting. Personally, I would like to see the list expanded into several languages. I would welcome this, even if it means English speakers might feel alienated, though I am unsure why this would be. The way I see it, if a coterie of non-English speakers--in addition to the English speakers-- find the list useful for themselves, then the utility of the list is expanded for all members. I would invite bilingual or non-English monolinguals to subscribe because the list is international in its base. I am sure English is a second language for many.
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To subscribe to the list, send email to listar@ssc.wisc.edu, with the message:
subscribe compurb-l
The list is archived. To view the archives, go to the list management site for the listar program:
http://listar.ssc.wisc.edu/listar.cgi
The address for posting messages to the list is:
Mark Whitaker
University of Wisconsin-Madison
list-owner for COMPURB-L
mwhitake@ssc.wisc.edu
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Last Updated: Thursday, January 17, 2002 10:21 PM These pages are edited from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Sociology. If you have comments or queries, please address then to the editor/webmaster.
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