Great American City

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For over fifty years, many public intellectuals and social theorists have claimed that community is dead, suggesting we act solely as individuals or are subject to uncontrollable global forces. These perspectives, which overlook the significance of place, are fundamentally flawed. Drawing from one of the most ambitious studies in social science, this work argues that communities still matter, as our lives are profoundly shaped by our locations. Robert J. Sampson presents over a decade of research in Chicago, coupled with personal observations from various neighborhoods, including Cabrini Green and Trump Tower. He reveals that neighborhoods significantly influence a wide range of social phenomena, such as crime, health, civic engagement, home foreclosures, teen births, altruism, leadership networks, and immigration. Notably, even national crises like the Great Recession do not diminish the impact of place, as Sampson examines its consequences up to the fall of 2010. Following the influential tradition of the Chicago School of urban studies, this work serves as a landmark research project, a compelling argument for a new theory of social life, and a narrative about an iconic city.