Urban Sociologists and Urbanism

After researching possible sociological studies related to crime and the built environment, I came across and actual disciple called- Urban Sociology, or Urbanism. Urbanism is the sociological study of a city’s social, cultural, economic and political environment. Urban sociologists seek to understand how and why the characteristics of cities with high population densities differ physically and sociologically from rural areas. Urban sociologists use statistical analysis, social and psychological theory, historical data and other methods to understand these characteristics in hopes of improving common problems, such as high rates of urban decay, housing and human health issues, within cities. Numerous sociological ideas and theories regarding crime and the built environment have been developed throughout the years arguing that common urban planning initiatives, such as urban renewal, dissolved the social fabrics of neighborhoods and promoted criminal activity. One can guess urban planners did not intend on dissolving the community social fabric, but it would be hard to argue that initiatives like urban renewal did not have severe sociological effects on the community. It will be interesting to research these theories and case studies.