This course examines how public policy shapes New York City and its society. Students will analyze topics like economic development, education, housing, and crime by reading scholarly literature and current news articles. Assignments include weekly article briefs, a short paper comparing media coverage of an issue, and an in-depth case study of an urban policy or project. The class will include lectures, guest speakers from city organizations, and group discussions informed by the readings. The goal is to provide a framework for understanding the relationship between government, citizens, and the challenges facing modern cities.

1. The City University of New York
La Guardia Community College
SSN187 Urban Sociology
3 credits; 3 hours
This course examines changing ideas about the city and the changing impact of the city
on American lifestyles. With reference to New York City, the course explores the origins
and the social structure of the city. It focuses on the relationship of class to family,
gender, education, ethnicity, religion, politics and economics. Visits to housing projects,
community organizations, or service delivery agencies will familiarize the students with
the issues of planning and change in the city.
Richard V. Imprescia Fall 2001 - Session I
Tel: (212) 803-3133 Saturdays: 9:15am - 12:45pm
Fax: (212) 803-3615 September 15th
- December 15th
, 2001
Rimprescia@empire.state.ny.us
Teaching Assistant: Konstantine Varvaris 212-245-8259
Books:
REQUIRED:
Grogan, Paul S. & Tony Proscio Comeback Cities: A Blueprint for Urban Neighborhood Revival.
(Westview Press, 2000)
Jacobs, James B. Gotham Unbound: How New York City was Liberated from the Grip of
Organized Crime. (New York University Press, 1999)
Magnet, Myron, Ed. The Millennial City: A New Paradigm for 21st
-Century America. (Ivan R.
Dee, 2000) ISBN: 1-56663-285-4 ($27.50)
OPTIONAL PROJECT READING:
Caro, Robert A. The Power Broker: Robert Moses & the Fall of New York. (Vintage Books,
1975)
Jacobs, Jane. The Death & Life of Great American Cities. (Vintage Books, 1961) ISBN: 0-679-
74195-X ($14.00)
Schill, Michael H., Ed. Housing & Community Development in New York City. (State
University of New York Press, 1999)
Course Description:
The principal goal of this course is to provide students with a practical framework for understanding how public
policy shapes the City and its society. The primary focus is New York City government and its involvement in both
service deliveries to residents and support of economic growth. Students will consider the aspects that shape the
successful city and examine the failed attempts at saving it including economic development; crime; social and
economic planning; decision-making; land-use; welfare, education and health reform; housing & community
development; public safety and social pathologies. The emphasis will be on developing conceptual skills that will
enable the student to connect scholarly literature to contemporary urban problems such as homelessness, chronic
fiscal stress, and organized crime. The course will draw on theory from all social science disciplines, with particular
attention to cultural, political, and social forces that shape the city.

2. Format:
This course will emphasize the practical relevance of government and daily urban life. Accordingly, we will use
newspaper and magazine articles. Students will be required to read the New York City newspapers and examine the
social issues that dominate daily city life and that demonstrate a relationship between government, the individual
and society. There are several assignments for this course:
• At each class session, students should bring a recent newspaper or magazine article that discusses an
aspect of city government; urban policy or a current social issue affecting New York City and be
prepared to discuss.
• At each class session, students are required to submit a brief of not more than one-page, double-spaced
that demonstrates an understanding or commentary on the assigned readings, newspaper and magazine
articles, previous guest discussions or any other relevant work.
• Prepare a 500-word paper (approx. 3-pages, double-spaced) that describes and analyzes how the local
newspapers, radio, television report on a social issue, policy problem or achievement, or event that
affects New York City. The paper should compare how two or three different media or newspapers
report on the selected urban issue, the sources cited, the information gathered, the placement of the
story and the different emphasis conveyed by each respective media source. This assignment will be
due October 13th
.
• Prepare a case study of an urban policy, conflict, social issue, crime study or development project in
which you describe and analyze the involvement of public officials, civic or community groups,
government agencies and business leaders in formulating, advocating, opposing/supporting or
implementing a plan/project/policy in New York City. This project may take the form of a
comparative literature review; case study or topic related manuscript of 15-20 pages, double-spaced.
The paper should include a description of the project, its stages of development, the key actors in
support or opposition and the social, political and economic impact of the project on the immediate
community and the city in general. Be sure to specifically refer to policy concepts discussed in class,
readings, articles or guests. A one-page outline of the final paper-case study is due November 10th
.
The final paper is due December 15th
.
Late assignments will be accepted with a reduction in your final grade. Prompt and regular attendance is a
policy requirement of the College. Accordingly, more than 3 absences from class will result in a reduction in
your final grade. Please contact me in the event of extreme or extraordinary circumstances that may affect you
attendance or general academic performance.
The course will be conducted as a seminar requiring each participant to be well prepared for each session. Session
will be three and one-half hours in length, generally following this outline:
60 minutes – Lecture and discussion of current news media related urban issue.
90 minutes – Presentation by guest speaker or instructor
60 minutes – Presentation by team-group or instructor
(Breaks will be provided)
Participants will be divided into peer team-groups. Sections of class time will be put aside to allow students to
discuss and evaluate theme questions for class discussion. Teams will present the weekly assigned readings or
substitute other related sources.
Guest Speakers:
Individuals from various professional and political organizations will appear in class to discuss practical
political and social policy that affects life in New York City and New York State.
Grade Determinations:
10% - Class Session Briefs
15% - Class Participation
25% - 500-word paper
50% - Final project paper

3. Course Outline:
1.0 September 15 Course Requirements and Introduction to Urban Sociology
2.0 September 22 The Role of Government in Society
2.2 Hahn, Robert. "Should You be Allowed to Use Your Cellular Phone While Driving".
Regulation, Volume 23, No.3
2.3 Scruton, Roger. "What is Acceptable Risk" City Journal
http://www.city-journal.org/html/11_1_what_is.html
3.0 September 29 New York City Government: The Historical Origins
3.1 Comeback Cities: Introduction; Part One-The Case for a Turnaround: Chapters 1, 2 and 3
4.0 October 6 New York City: Planning & Development
Guest Speaker: Sandra DeLeon, East Harlem Business Capital Corporation
Technical Assistance Director & Former NYS Parole Commissioner
4.1 Comeback Cities: Part Two & Part Three-Grassroots Revival & Emerging Markets:
Chapters 4, 5 and 6
5.0 October 13 Cities: Social & Political Ideology and How it Shapes Policy Decision
Guest Speaker: David Parker - Director of Operations
Queens West Development Corp.
ASSIGNMENT #1 - DUE
3.1 The Millennial City, pp.10-19; 34-46
3.2 Comeback Cities: Part Four-Public Order: Chapter 7
3.3 Dalrymple, Theodore. "The Uses of Corruption" City Journal
http://www.city-journal.org/html/11_3_oh_to_be.html
6.0 October 20 Welfare: Socialization and the Role of Religion
Debate: The Role of Religion in Society - Dr. Alan Keyes & Alan Dershowitz
Guest Speaker: John Steinberg, Esq. - Greater Jamaica Development Corp.
6.1 The Millennial City, pp.192-246; 256-263
6.2 Comeback Cities: Part Five-Deregulating the City: Chapters 8, 9 and 10
6.3 Prager, Dennis "Do Good Secular People Have Better Characters than Good Religious
People" The Prager Perspective, Feb.15, 1998
7.0 October 27 Education & Urban Policy: Urban Reform Policies
Guest Speaker: Dimitri Ganiaris - Assistant Vice President
New York City Economic Development Corp.
7.1 The Millennial City, pp.110-166
7.2 Comeback Cities: Part Five-Deregulating the Cities: Chapter 11 and Conclusion
7.3 Husock, Howard. "Don't Let CDCs Fool You" City Journal Summer 2001
http://www.city-journal.org/html/11_3_don’t_let_cdcs.html
8.0 November 3 Homelessness: Housing or Urban Degeneration
Guest Speaker: Curtis Archer - Executive Director
Rockaway Development & Revitalization Corp.
8.1 The Millennial City, pp.266-282
8.2 Tucker, William "How Rent Control Drives Out Affordable Housing" May 21, 1997
Cato Policy Analysis No.274 http://www.cato.org//pubs/pas/pa-274.html

4. 9.0 November 10 The Urban Economy: Economic Development & Urban Revitalization
Guest Speaker: George Glatter - Executive Director
New York City Department of Business Services
ASSIGNMENT 2A - FINAL PAPER OUTLINE DUE
The Millennial City, pp.284-294; 303-318
9.1 Imprescia, Richard "All Aboard! The Pennsylvania Station Redevelopment Project: A
Case Study Analysis of the History, Support, Economics & Policy of a Public
Transportation Project"
9.2 MacDonald, Heather. "BIDs Really Work" City Journal
http://www.city-journal.org/html/6_2_a3.html
9.3 Mitchell, Jerry. "Business Improvement Districts & the New Revitalization of
Downtown" Economic Development Quarterly, Vol.15 No.2, May 2001 115-123
9.4 Levy, Paul R. "Paying for the Public Life" Economic Development Quarterly,
Vol.15 No.2, May 2001 124-131
10.0 November 17 The Physical City & Immigration: Urban Design Policies & Why it Matters?
Guest Speaker: The Hon. Peter Magnani - Deputy Borough President
Queens Borough President's Office
10.1 The Millennial City, pp.320-326; 336-353; 356-386
10.2 Moss, Dr. Mitchell "Reinventing the Central City as a Place to Live and Work,"
Housing Policy Debate 8.2, 1997, pp.471-490
http://www.mitchellmoss.com/articles/centralcity.html
November 24 Thanksgiving Holiday Recess - NO CLASS
11.0 December 1 Organized Crime & Its Effect on the City
Guest Speaker: Steve Malanga
Senior Fellow & Contributing Editor City Journal
11.1 Gotham Unbound, pp.146-175; 223-233
11.2 Malanga, Steven "How To Run the Mob Out of Gotham"
http://www.city-journal.org/html/11_1_how_to_run.html
11.3 Malanga, Steven. "Building the Opportunity City," City Journal
http://www.city-journal.org/html/11_2_building.html
12.0 December 8 Crime, Public Safety & Local Communities
12.1 The Millennial City, pp.70-108
12.2 Gotham Unbound, pp.33-64; 116-128
12.3 Prager, Dennis "Violent Crime - Still the Great Problem" The Prager Perspective
October 1, 1999
12.4 McDonald, Heather. "The Myth of Racial Profiling" City Journal
http://www.city-journal.org/html/11_2_the_myth.html
13.0 December 15 Quality-of-Life & Future Planning Policy Reforms in New York City
FINAL PROJECT DUE
Guest Speaker: Deputy Inspector James T. O'Brien, NYPD
Commanding Officer - 114th
Police Precinct
13.1 Moss, Dr. Mitchell "Technology and Cities," Cityscape, 3.3, 1998
http://www.mitchellmoss.com/articles/techcities.html
13.2 Wright, David J. "Saving City Neighborhoods: New Findings, Trends & Policies" The
Rockefeller Institute
http://www.rockinst.org/publications/urban_studies/SavingCityNeighborhoods.pdf
13.3 Moss, Mitchell "Telecommunications & Economic Development: The Challenge for
Planners" American Planning Association News & Views
http://www.mitchellmoss.com/articles/99-04-apa.html