Encyclopedia of Urban America: The Cities and Suburbs

The term urban brings many images to mind—images of crime, poverty, homelessness, pollution, and overcrowding—and it speaks volumes about the prevalent attitudes Americans have toward cities. In recent years, negative images of the city have been reinforced, as people become more aware of the environmental consequences of economic growth.
In modern day America, the term urban is widely used to describe cities that sprawl formlessly outwards so much so that their physical boundaries become obscure. On the other hand, cities encourage social diversity and allow for the internal diversification of their populations. Proponents of the city argue that the urban environment fosters liberty, cooperation, and community, thus generating and supporting collective efforts to rectify the worst problems.
With well over 300 contributors and 500 entries, Encyclopedia of Urban America: The Cities and Suburbs details selected major cities, suburbs, people, places, concepts, contemporary issues, history, and development of urban America. Topics range from problems typically associated with urban life such as crime, pollution, and congestion to the arts and humanities, social concerns, religion, infrastructure, key individuals, and economic issues.