Urban and Rural Communities in Transition

Why Study Community? Why Study Community? Community is a significant social entity.Community is a significant social entity.

Community comprises our immediate physical and Community comprises our immediate physical and social environmentsocial environment

Community is where society is experienced Community is where society is experienced Community is the setting for socialization, social Community is the setting for socialization, social

institutions, and development of norms and cultureinstitutions, and development of norms and culture We need to understand the organization and We need to understand the organization and

dynamics of community relationshipsdynamics of community relationships

Urban and Rural Communities in Transition

One Does not have to be particularly One Does not have to be particularly astute to detect that contemporary life astute to detect that contemporary life in Philadelphia, Morristown, or York is in Philadelphia, Morristown, or York is quite different from that in Delta, quite different from that in Delta, Brogue, or Wellsboro.Brogue, or Wellsboro.

Overview of These Notes

A brief history of A brief history of communitiescommunities

Settlement patterns in Settlement patterns in the U.S.the U.S.

Theories of society, Theories of society, history, and history, and communitycommunity

Issues in studying Issues in studying communitycommunity

History of Community

As far back as the As far back as the archeological record archeological record goes, humans have goes, humans have lived in groupslived in groups

Why did they band Why did they band together?together?

Historical Economies and Settlement Patterns

Humans as hunters-Humans as hunters-gatherers gatherers habitats were habitats were

temporarytemporary bands were small bands were small

because land could because land could not support manynot support many

Humans as agriculturistsHumans as agriculturists could remain in place could remain in place

for generationsfor generations develop stable develop stable

relationships, common relationships, common norms, values and norms, values and institutionsinstitutions

larger groupslarger groups

Early Agricultural Villages

Entire population engaged in agricultureEntire population engaged in agriculture Role differentiation based on gender and ageRole differentiation based on gender and age Agriculture responsible for the success of the Agriculture responsible for the success of the

species and cultural developmentsspecies and cultural developments Developed only about 8-10,000 years ago in the Developed only about 8-10,000 years ago in the

500,000 years of human development500,000 years of human development Still the most prevalent form on human settlement Still the most prevalent form on human settlement

-- though still modern influences have intruded-- though still modern influences have intruded

Early Cities Agriculture surpluses allowed Agriculture surpluses allowed

the formation of cities as people the formation of cities as people were released from raising foodwere released from raising food

The first cities developed in the The first cities developed in the most fertile agricultural areas most fertile agricultural areas Tigris-Euphrates, Nile, and Tigris-Euphrates, Nile, and Indus RiversIndus Rivers

These cities were not simply These cities were not simply large agricultural villages -- large agricultural villages -- exchange good and services for exchange good and services for foodfood

Early Cities Early division of laborEarly division of labor Marketplace for exchangeMarketplace for exchange Written language and numerical notations arise from tradeWritten language and numerical notations arise from trade Other institutions and normsOther institutions and norms Cooperative tasks like temple buildingCooperative tasks like temple building The city was a place of wealth and needed protection from The city was a place of wealth and needed protection from

marauders and armiesmarauders and armies Walled-cities were common through the middle agesWalled-cities were common through the middle ages Cities became powerful seats of culture, trade, philosophy Cities became powerful seats of culture, trade, philosophy

and military mightand military might

Early Cities in History

Manorial Communities

Following the collapse of the Roman Empire (500 Following the collapse of the Roman Empire (500 A.D.) Europe enter a 1,000 year-long dark ageA.D.) Europe enter a 1,000 year-long dark age

Commerce and trade nearly ceased, society Commerce and trade nearly ceased, society reverted back to an agriculture basereverted back to an agriculture base

Lord own the land, serfs lived on the land and Lord own the land, serfs lived on the land and paid tribute to the Lordpaid tribute to the Lord

Serf rights (few) were dictated by custom or Serf rights (few) were dictated by custom or settled by manorial court presided by the lordsettled by manorial court presided by the lord

Towns in the Middle Ages

Towns in Northern Europe began to trade Towns in Northern Europe began to trade againagain

Merchants and artisans formed guildsMerchants and artisans formed guilds Traders established links among Traders established links among

communities to support tradecommunities to support trade Artisans gathered in trade cities to support Artisans gathered in trade cities to support

merchants and to bartermerchants and to barter

Pre-Industrial Cities Sharp division among classes, upper class is usually Sharp division among classes, upper class is usually

very small and dominated by extended familiesvery small and dominated by extended families These were often walled for protection, congestion These were often walled for protection, congestion

is high, the center is often dominated by religious or is high, the center is often dominated by religious or government buildings (or both together) government buildings (or both together)

The market place is usually near the town entrance The market place is usually near the town entrance and is smaller than government and religious and is smaller than government and religious buildingsbuildings

Many cities still look like this todayMany cities still look like this today

Industrial Cities The industrial revolution (1760s) brought great The industrial revolution (1760s) brought great

cultural changecultural change technology and surplus resources (capital) made technology and surplus resources (capital) made

possible the large-scale production of goodspossible the large-scale production of goods very densely populated because walking is the very densely populated because walking is the

primary transportationprimary transportation lack of infrastructure and coal burning make life lack of infrastructure and coal burning make life

nastynasty no workers’ rights no child labor lawsno workers’ rights no child labor laws

“The most important and immediate cause of social change in the United States is technological innovations in agriculture.”

Rodgers et al. 1987

0

50

1001830

1850

1870

1890

1910

1930

1950

1970

1990

FloridaU.S.

Percent Population Rural 1830-1990

0

20

40

60

801830

1850

1870

1890

1910

1930

1950

1970

1990

Percent Population Farmers 1830-1990

0

20

40

60

801860

1880

1900

1920

1940

1960

1980

Persons Supported by 1 Farmer 1860-1990

0

10,000

20,000

30,000

40,000

50,000

60,000

70,000

1850

1870

1890

1910

1930

1950

1970

1987

Florida

Number of Florida Farms 1850-1987

0

1,000,000

2,000,000

3,000,000

4,000,000

5,000,000

6,000,000

7,000,000

1850

1870

1890

1910

1930

1950

1970

1987

U.S.

Number of U.S. Farms 1850-1987

050100150200250300350400450500

1890

1910

1930

1950

1970

1987

FloridaU.S.

Average Farm Size in Acres 1850-1990

The Social Impacts of

Agricultural Technology

•increased productivity•increased appeal and quality•low food prices•decreased need for agricultural labor•decreased vitality in farm-based communities•increased rural to urban migration•increased capital expenses•increased start-up costs •increase in farm size for efficiencies•less smaller family farms•environmental problems

Rural Settlement Patterns in the U.S.

New England VillageNew England Village few distinctions few distinctions

between family, between family, community and community and private and publicprivate and public

Central town square, Central town square, common pasture, and common pasture, and shared institutionsshared institutions

Democratic ruleDemocratic rule

Plantation SystemPlantation System similar to manorial similar to manorial

systemsystem dependent upon dependent upon

slaveryslavery South had fewer South had fewer

cities, plantations cities, plantations were mostly self-were mostly self-sufficientsufficient

Urban Settlement Patterns in the U.S. Jefferson Vs. HamiltonJefferson Vs. Hamilton North Vs. South, Agriculture Vs. IndustrializationNorth Vs. South, Agriculture Vs. Industrialization located on transportation hubslocated on transportation hubs Early Northern cities drew immigrants from Early Northern cities drew immigrants from

Europe for laborEurope for labor Massive rural to urban migration from 1920 onMassive rural to urban migration from 1920 on African Americans replaced Europeans in the cityAfrican Americans replaced Europeans in the city

Urban Settlement Patterns in the U.S. As personal transportation (cars) and other As personal transportation (cars) and other

technology (phone, fax, email, internet, etc.) have technology (phone, fax, email, internet, etc.) have increased there is less need to live in the urban coreincreased there is less need to live in the urban core

manufacturing and service sectors are being replaced manufacturing and service sectors are being replaced by the information sectors in the economyby the information sectors in the economy

Silicon Valley (Santa Clara County)Silicon Valley (Santa Clara County) People prefer to live in suburban settlements and will People prefer to live in suburban settlements and will

pay high costs to do sopay high costs to do so

Urban Settlement Patterns in the U.S. Dispersion of the high density populationDispersion of the high density population The Metropolitan Statistical AreaThe Metropolitan Statistical Area The Megalopolis The Megalopolis

no single center of influenceno single center of influence difficult to perceive the whole as a difficult to perceive the whole as a

communitycommunity huge urban/suburban conglomerateshuge urban/suburban conglomerates

Louis Wirth (1938) “Urbanism as a Way of Life”

Richard Dewey (1960)“The Rural Urban Continuum”

Five Factors of UrbanismFive Factors of Urbanism AnonymityAnonymity Division of LaborDivision of Labor Heterogeneity of PopulationHeterogeneity of Population Impersonal and Formally Prescribed Impersonal and Formally Prescribed

RelationshipsRelationships Symbols of Status Independent of Symbols of Status Independent of

Personal AcquaintancePersonal Acquaintance

Theories of Society, History, and Community:

The Typology Tradition

Toennies: Gemeinschaft & GesellschaftToennies: Gemeinschaft & Gesellschaft Durkheim: Mechanical & Organic Durkheim: Mechanical & Organic

SolidaritySolidarity Weber: Traditional & Rational SocietyWeber: Traditional & Rational Society Marx:Marx: Feudalism, Capitalism, & Feudalism, Capitalism, &

SocialismSocialism The Rural-Urban ContinuumThe Rural-Urban Continuum

Ferdinand Toennies (1855-1936)Social Relationships Gemeinschaft Gemeinschaft

(community)(community) interaction based interaction based

upon tradition and upon tradition and loyaltyloyalty

ascribed orderascribed order undifferentiated undifferentiated

society and laborsociety and labor family like groups family like groups

bounded by bounded by localitieslocalities

Gesellschaft (Society)Gesellschaft (Society) interaction based on interaction based on

ration weighing of ration weighing of ends and meansends and means

achieved statusachieved status impersonalimpersonal complex division of complex division of

laborlabor meritocracy and meritocracy and

bureaucracy bureaucracy

Emile Durkheim (1858-1917)

Mechanical SolidarityMechanical Solidarity similarity in local similarity in local

beliefs and beliefs and activities (usually activities (usually agriculture)agriculture)

Collective Collective ConsciousConscious

individualism is individualism is curbedcurbed

Organic Solidarity Organic Solidarity Complex division Complex division

of labor in the of labor in the economy and economy and societysociety

interdependence of interdependence of individuals and individuals and institutionsinstitutions

organic modelorganic model

Max Weber (1864-1920)

Traditional SocietyTraditional Society based upon based upon

tradition authoritytradition authority close family-like close family-like

relationshipsrelationships religionreligion common symbols common symbols

and activitiesand activities

Rational SocietyRational Society based upon based upon

rational-legal rational-legal authorityauthority

efficiency over efficiency over customcustom

scientificscientific impersonal and impersonal and

bureaucratic bureaucratic

Karl Marx (1818-1883)

Stages of historyStages of history Feudalism Serfs and LordsFeudalism Serfs and Lords Capitalism Proletariat and BourgeoisesCapitalism Proletariat and Bourgeoises Class Conflict and Exploitation and class Class Conflict and Exploitation and class

consciousness consciousness Power Analyses and Hegemonic ControlPower Analyses and Hegemonic Control

The Rural-Urban Continuum

Five Approaches to the Study of Community

The Ecological ApproachThe Ecological Approach Typological Approach (ethnography and Typological Approach (ethnography and

case study)case study) Social Systems ApproachSocial Systems Approach Power AnalysisPower Analysis The Interaction ApproachThe Interaction Approach