Cities play an important role in contemporary American culture as sites of commerce, trade, entertainment, and the arts. We can learn a lot about what Americans believe and how they act upon those beliefs by looking at the ways our cultural dramas are continually played out on the city's stage. The complexity and sheer variety of urban experiences can be overwhelming. In clear prose, the essays in this volume decipher some of these experiences and offer fresh analytical insights. Without relying on one theoretical, disciplinary, or ideological framework, the contributors collectively explore...

Cities play an important role in contemporary American culture as sites of commerce, trade, entertainment, and the arts. We can learn a lot about what Americans believe and how they act upon those beliefs by looking at the ways our cultural dramas are continually played out on the city's stage. The complexity and sheer variety of urban experiences can be overwhelming. In clear prose, the essays in this volume decipher some of these experiences and offer fresh analytical insights. Without relying on one theoretical, disciplinary, or ideological framework, the contributors collectively explore...