Book Recommendation?

[pepperedjane]

I've been thinking about urban renewal and gentrification a lot lately, and I'd love some suggestions for books on the subject, possibly those with analysis of why Americans are moving back into the cities. Scholarly works would be great, or at least books with endnotes/footnotes.

Comments

[arh006]

Bowling Alone
It isn't quite the topic you described but definitely related and definitely scholarly. You're welcome to have my copy if you're interested.

[hubbjm]

Putnam's pluralism works to describe various needs and effects of (sub)urbanization and might be particularly fun for you as he, as always, has pure belief in the goodness of efficacy and involvement.

I would start with Timothy Luke's article www.carleton.ca/ctca/TransnatLUKE.doc for its contribution, excellent theoretical collection, and bibliography. The Baudrillard, Hardt and Negri, and the Ong from the bibliography are particularly good/important and on topic. For many the Hardt and Negri followup Multitudes is more graspable and, if a bit less on topic, contains the essentials of alternative theory to contemporary reurbanization.

Outside of academia and perhaps rationality (but I haven't delved in enough to judge really) is the http://www.citistates.com/ which also has put out books.

john