New Forms of Urban Community - Admission/Application Essay Example

The article, “Race, Ethni and New Forms of Urban Community” by Joseph Bensman and Arthur J. Vidich, focuses on how the community has changed over recent years. Since the growth of the metropolis (or “gigantic city”) over the last one hundred and fifty years, those within these communities have been given a chance to explore various choices, beliefs and values they may have been previously limited to in a rural community. Also, these ghetto areas contain ethnic groups with similar issues or problems they must face in their daily lives within their common space.

Today, most ethnic groups mix together, to the point that the groups blend so much that it is impossible to tell them apart. As a result, the ethnic and class mixture creates a society which has “a great deal of…variety, charm, freedom and looseness” (200). However, this diversity can eventually lead to “tension and friction”, where differences can cause violence in a hostile environment (200). To help with these dangers, modern homes were designed like medieval fortresses, usually surrounded by a fence, with locks on all of the doors and windows to keep intruders out.

However, the home only protects a person when they inside its walls, and the streets remained unsafe. This led to the creation of armed police forces in order to provide some sort of security for people in public. The biggest issue which causes minorities and immigrants within the cities is the lack of economic opportunity, especially among Blacks, Chicanos and Puerto Ricans. Because of this, many are forced to resort to violence, and because lethal weapons are readily available in America, they have the means to perform violent acts for economic opportunities.

But, this discrimination also leads to the creation of racially-based neighborhood groups, including the civil rights groups which emerged in major cities during the 1960’s. The first group to do this was the Jews, who worked together in order to prevent discrimination and violence against their fellow Jews. And, it also created political institutions within these communities, including militant and radical groups. Many of these groups have the choice to live in these communities, because they can be easily accepted by the other members of the neighborhood because of their similar characteristics, including race and economic standing.

But, the most important aspect of the creation of communities is a set group of shared values. These core values allow the members of a tight-nit community to share aspects of life which might alienate most others. Another important aspect of communities is maintaining one’s culture, which leads similar groups to come together because they have more in common than just skin color or economic standing. The United States has become the perfect example of the diversity and the rise of urban communities, because of the steady wave of immigrants who came into the country for the opportunity for a better life.

Unfortunately, they did not realize that they would become the lower classes in society, and would end up living just as they had in their home country. But, some became economically successful, and chose to either move out of their ghetto communities, or they decided to stay and help the rest of the members in their community rise up the economic ladder. These communities allow some to thrive with the diverse area, while those that thrive can assist those who continue to struggle within the limits of urban life.

And communities allow those with similar characteristics (including race, culture, values and economic standing) to come together and survive in the modern world.