Urban Sociology - Essay Example

Urban Sociology Distinguish between the term Sociology and Urban sociology? Sociology is a discipline that deals with the general but systematic study of individuals in groups. The study involves examining the social life, social causes, and the social changes. Sociology argues that human behaviors are social and thus studies the structures that enhance sociability which include groups, organizations, and societies. On the other hand, urban sociology entails studying how humans interact in metropolitan areas.

Urban sociology entails understanding how conditions that characterize the urban life affect human aspects such as relations, ideas, as well as opportunities affect metropolitan inhabitants (Flanagan, 2010). 2) What is your income of urban space? (Is urban space good/safe, bad/dangerous or admixture of both?) Urban spaces can be both good and bad. They are bad in that they can cause identity crisis among the people living in urban areas. Like explained in Tonnies work, the emerging urban society is characterized by artificiality with most people trying to deceive others by adopting fake identities.

This is because urban inhabitants lack personal space and the anonymity provides an opening for them to play identity games. Additionally, urban space puts people at the risk of encountering aggressive intruders. The good thing about urban space is that they offer opportunity for adventure due to the great diversity and freedom. People are able to interact with different individuals. This provides an opportunity for self-development through the encounters (Flanagan, 2010; Gottdiener, Hutchison, & Hutchison, 2011) 3) What experience shape/influence your idea of the urban space (What have you seen heard or gone through that made you to say the city is good, bad or a mixture of both?) 3reasons required My idea of urban was shaped by personal experiences as well as those experiences recounted by friends.

One reason why the urban space is good is the ease of obtaining goods and services. As Weber argues, the urban centers provide a diversified market economy. Shops and other commercial outlets are closely located (Gottdiener, Hutchison, & Hutchison, 2011). The reason I consider urban space bad is that it creates room for possible peer influence amongst the residents. Some people move to the urban areas hoping to get employment. When they fail to get jobs, they are likely to be influence to get into crimes and other misconducts.

Another experience that makes me consider urban space unsafe is the high number of homeless people. It feels weird walking along some streets crowded by homeless people. According to one of my friends, the urban space is bad since insensitive people characterize it. Simmel argued that the pervasiveness of the urban market is responsible for the way urbanites behave (Flanagan, 2010). 4) In the light of the above, would you consider yourself a Cityphile, a Cityhobe or an “in-between”? I would consider myself a cityphile.

To me the city is a fulfillment of enriched living. The city harbors great places. Additionally, like argued in the theory of Max Weber, the city has the potential of uniting people from different diversities. From when I was young, I have spent most of my life in cities and have managed to interact and deal with different kinds of people. Cities are spaces where people can safely meet, have leisure, and share great moments. I have lived a considerable part of my life in New York and I realized that the city give an opportunity for people across different social classes to interact through activities such as sports (Flanagan, 2010). 5) If you could see yourself ten years from now, where would you be living in and how would the knowledge of this class have contributed to that choice?

Ten years from now, I would be living in New York City. This is because I value interaction with people from different societies. New York City is characterized by great diversity. The knowledge about the inhabitants of New York would help me understand the factors that cause segregation based on ethnicity. Being in a city with diverse groups would have contributed to my choice since I believe living in a diverse society provides increased opportunities for personal growth (Flanagan, 2010). 6) In what 5 ways can social relations (between groups and face-to-face relations) in the area(s) of your choice be improved?

Social relations comprise of networks of friends and each network can be traced to a certain person. Social relations between groups and face-to-face relations can be improved through social events. This is because friends are likely to invite each other resulting in improved relation amongst them. Another way is to improve the urban spaces to make them pleasant for social interactions. The streets and squares should also be redesigned in a way that encourages interaction between urban dwellers.

Another way to encourage social interactions is through construction of public place that are free from traffic such as parks and other spaces where parents can play with their children to strengthen family relations. Social relations in urban areas can also be strengthened through community festivals to encourage people living within a given community to bond (Flanagan, 2010; Gottdiener, Hutchison, & Hutchison, 2011). 7) If you could take one-knowledge of how city works with you, what would it be, and if a sociologist would view this, how would they view it?

One way in which the city works to my advantage is the anonymity it gives. When walking along the city I feel confident since no one knows me. I can act the way I want without fear of being criticized, as it would happen when I was with family or friends. Additionally, the city provides opportunities for self-growth with minimal discrimination. In most cases, employment is based on qualifications. A sociologist would argue that the cities are capable of altering the mind of inhabitants since they lower inhibitions.

A sociologist would view my idea as that resulting from altered identity resulting from anonymity associated with cities (Flanagan, 2010) 8) What should be changed in this society and why should it be changed? There are certain aspects that require to be changed to improve the urban society. One aspect is the intergroup relations. There is tendency for people living within cities to segregate themselves in terms of their ethnicity. This is because the urban centers comprise of people from different parts of the world.

The natives often discriminate against immigrants. They thus tend to isolate themselves depending on their nationalities. The segregation on basis of ethnicity is injurious to the harmony of the cities. This is because people consider ethnicity to be a meaningful category of membership but it can lead isolation of some group from development (Flanagan, 2010). References Flanagan, W. (2010). Urban Sociology: Images and Structure. New York: Rowman & Littlefield. Gottdiener, M., Hutchison, R., & Hutchison, R. (2011). Distinguish between the term Sociology and Urban sociology?

New York: Perseus Books.