The historian and the city

The historian and the city

, histoire urbaine, sociologie urbaine, économie, forme urbaine, urbanisation, histoire de l'urbanisme, Handlin Oscar, Burchard John

Extract from the Preface: ...[T]he Joint Center for Urban Studies of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard University, and the Harvard University Summer Session [decided] to convene a conference, in August, 1961, that would consider the city in history. The sponsors of the conference sought to bring together historians who had examined some aspect of the subject and men who had dealt with the contemporary city, both as students and as practitioners. It was hoped that the meeting of those familiar with historical data and those involved in present-day problems would provide a basis for a fruitful exchange. The results of that conference are contained in this volume. It seemed desirable to approach the subject through a general consideration of the place of the modern city in history. It was hoped thus to outline the distinctive characteristics of this environment and the social and personal problems it created. It was clear that the city had to be treated both as an entity in itself and as a force operating in history. To appraise the impace of the city on the wider world in which it was located it was necessary, on the one hand, to understand its role, past and present, in technological innovations and economic development and on the other, to estimate its influence in the history of ideas. Even when viewed from within, as an artifact, the city reflected in its physical features the views that man held of its functions and purpose. The present volume assembles some of the papers delivered at the conference, together with additional essays prepared by participants either by way of commentary or formally to elaborate points raised in the course of a lively discussion. Contents: I. Introduction: Oscar Handlin - The modern city as a field of historical study II. The city in technological innovation and economic development: Robert S. Lopez - The crossroads within the wall Shigeto Tsuru - The economic significance of cities Alexander Gerschenkron - City economies - then and now Sam B. Warner, Jr. - Innovation and the industrialization of Philadelphia 1800-1850 Aaron Fleisher - The economics of urbanization Richard L. Meier - The organization of technological innovation in urban environments III. The city in the history of ideas: Morton White - Two stages in the critique of the American city Carl E. Schorske - The idea of the city in European thought: Voltaire to Spengler Frank Freidel - Boosters, intellectuals, and the American city Sylvia L. Thrupp - The city as the idea of social order IV. History and the contemporary urban world: Kenneth E. Boulding - The death of the city: A frightened look at postcivilization Deenis W. Brogan - Implications of modern city growth V. The city as an artifact: John Summerson - Urban forms Anthony N. B. Garvan - Proprietary Philadelphia as artifact Walter L. Creese - The form of the modern metropolis Henry Millon - The visible character of the city VI. Planners and interpreters of the city: Christopher Tunnard - The customary and the characteristic: A note on the pursuit of city planning history Eric E. Lampard - Urbanization and social change; on broadening the scope and relevance of urban history Frederick Gutheim and Atlee E. Shidler - The building blocks of urban history VII. Conclusion: John Burchard - Some afterthoughts Philip Dawson and Sam B. Warner, Jr. - A selection of words relating to the history of cities Oscar Handlin was Professor of History at Harvard University. John Burchard was Dean of the Humanities and Social Studies at Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

NC

MIT Press

1963

299

Ouvrage

hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015007544383