Prior to beginning work on this assignment, review the following:
Chapters 3, 7, 8, and 12 from your course textbook, Social Problems: Community, Policy, and Social Action
This week’s A Sociological Exploration: Social Problems in Communities and Families section
The articles:
The “Anti-Intellectual Attack” on Higher Ed Will Take Years to UndoLinks to an external site.
Seeing Color in Green Spaces: How to Increase Diversity in ConservationLinks to an external site.
The web pages:
How Public Spaces Make Cities More People-OrientedLinks to an external site.
Principles of Harm ReductionLinks to an external site.
Cities are designed to influence community members’ experiences, but how have cities changed over time to bring risk to people’s lives instead? What is the role of education (K–12 and higher ed) in ensuring that public spaces are vital parts of city life? What benefits do safe and easily accessible public spaces provide in urban areas? How might green spaces serve as centers of social interaction and economic activity for groups affected by oppression? What can you do, as a citizen in your community, to create and maintain public spaces available to all?
Well-designed public spaces have been found to make cities more people-oriented and foster closer community ties. In addition, research shows that parks and green spaces are associated with healthier neighborhoods for residents. However, not all communities benefit equally from public spaces. Particularly in communities impacted by oppression, due to concentrated poverty, segregation, intentional urban design policies, and other geographic inequalities, there are often no safe public spaces available for residential use. Moreover, when public spaces are revitalized in poor and minority communities, this often leads to gentrification, which can cause the displacement of longtime residents due to the increasing property values.
In this assignment, you will investigate the benefits of public space in urban areas, how education can increase the use of public spaces and positively impact your community, and the consequences of urban renewal projects (i.e., gentrification) on racial and class-based inequalities.