People and Politics in Urban America, Second Edition (Garland Reference Library of Social Sciences)

This revised textbook for courses on urban politics challenges the notion that the field is dominated by political economy, showing that despite the undeniable importance of economic issues, citizens do play a significant part in urban politics. This ground-breaking basic textbook for courses on urban politics is now fully revised and updated. The Kweits challenge the notion that urban politics is dominated by political economy. Denying the view that political officials -- and by extension, ordinary citizens -- were powerless in the face of dominant economic interests, the authors examine how policy in cities changes as new groups of citizens became politically mobilized. Using empirical research, the Kweits show that despite the undeniable importance of economic issues, citizens do play a significant role in urban politics. First Published in 1998. Approximately 75 percent of Americans live in cities and surrounding suburbs, and the characteristics of those cities inescapably affect the quality of their lives. This book examines the extent to which these Americans use the political process to control the characteristics of life in their metropolises. In addition, this second edition revision places great emphasis on the role of political leaders, while recognising the interdependence between those leaders and various interests in the city. In the 1940s, the mayor of Atlanta, Georgia, was William B. Hartsfield, a traditional southerner who believed in racial segregation. First Published in 1998. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company. Robert W. Kweit, Mary Grisez Kweit. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.