Alabaster Cities: Urban U.S. since 1950

John Rennie Short

Dec 2006 · Syracuse University Press

About this ebook

With keen insight and exhaustive research John Rennie Short narrates the story of urban America from 1950 to the present, revealing a compelling portrait of urban transformation. Short chronicles the steady rise of urbanization, the increasing suburbanization, and the sweeping metropolitanization of the U.S., uncovering the forces behind these shifts and their consequences for American communities. Drawing on numerous studies, first-hand anecdotes, census figures, and other statistical data, Short’s work addresses the globalization of U.S. cities, the increased polarization of urban life in the U.S., the role of civic engagement, and the huge role played by the public sector in shaping the character of cities. With deft analysis the author weaves together the themes of urban renewal, suburbanization and metropolitan fragmentation, race and ethnicity, and immigration, presenting a fascinating and highly readable account of the U.S. in the second half of the twentieth century.

About the author

John Rennie Short is professor of geography and public policy at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. He is the author of Making Space: Revisioning the World, 1475-1600, and New Worlds, New Geographies, both published by Syracuse University Press.