MTRO 101 Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Henri Lefebvre, Urban Sociology, Economic Restructuring
4 Dec 2017
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Document Summary
Postmodernism a reaction to assumed certainty of scientific, objective, or rational ways of explaining reality, leading to skepticism of universal truths. Political economy the study of how the economic system and political institutions interacts with each other to cause different social outcomes. Critical urban sociology (or urban political economy) a perspective on cities that focuses on investment decisions and economic trends, both private and public, as a determinant of city growth. Four economic advantages of cities (according to traditional economics: access to goods and services, agglomerations, higher levels of economic competition, large populations allow there to be more goods for lower prices. Economic restructuring the shift from secondary to tertiary economic activities; or from manufacturing to service activities. Globalization the increasing interconnectivity of place through political, economic and cultural processes. 3 foundational assumptions of critical urban sociology: cities exist within overarching political structures, local economy is interdependent with overarching economic structures. Institutions shape urban life rather than natural processes.
