Urban Sociology Overview

Study Notes

Branch of sociology that studies life in cities and its impact on society's development
Focuses on the causal connections between the elements of a city and the factors that led to their development
Studies the impact of city life on social actions, relationships, and institutions
Is a normative discipline focused on studying the structures, processes, changes, and problems of urban areas to inform urban planning and policies
Its scope has significantly expanded over the years

Study of social organization and interaction of population groups within the built environment, including highways, factories, housing developments, and commercial areas
Deals with the historical forces behind modern industrial and corporate cities, the location of industrial and commercial areas, lifestyles of different groups within neighborhoods, and the effect of social, economic, and political forces on urban life
Examines social structures and processes associated with modern urban life and its implications for city residents
Attempts to focus on urbanized social ways of life and its impact on the surroundings, particularly suburbs
Sociological study of various societal statistics among urban populations

Urban society is the social organization resulting from the actions and interactions of city dwellers, including their engagement with the physical environment
Urbanization refers to the population shift from rural to urban areas, the decrease in the proportion of people living in rural areas, and societal adaptations to this change

One of the oldest sub-disciplines of sociology, dating back to the mid-nineteenth century
Emerged as a distinct discipline in the early 20th century
Driven by the social changes caused by the Industrial Revolution and the development of cities
Focuses on the urban environment's influence on individuals, their actions, relationships, institutions, and modes of thinking and interacting
Examines the urban social milieu, the physical environment, the conditions that follow the socio-cultural and physical surroundings, and the associated consequences
Social, economic, and technological forces operating through human social milieu play a determinant part in individual, familial, and urban life as roles and statuses undergo significant transformations, ultimately affecting their quality of life

The philosophical foundations of modern urban sociology originate from sociologists such as
- Karl Marx
- Ferdinand Tönnies
- Émile Durkheim
- Max Weber
- Georg Simmel
These scholars studied and theorized the economic, social, and cultural processes of urbanization and its effects on social alienation, class formation, and the production or destruction of collective and individual identities.