Article | Spring 2008
Urban Kaleidoscope: In Honor of Herbert Gans
For the last half century, Herbert Gans has been at the center of sociological debates on poverty, race, and ethnicity; the media; and American culture. To honor his enduring influence on sociology, ISERP's Center for Urban Research and Policy (CURP) hosted a day-long conference on urban sociology and Gans's contributions to the field.
Taking place on March 13, 2008, the conference convened leading scholars engaged in leading ethnographic and qualitative researchers who exemplify the socially-concerned scholarship characteristic of Gans and his research. Over the course of three panels, speakers discussed Gans's work as well as a range of urban policy issues and populations in historical and contemporary perspective. While sharing a focus on urban issues, they provided divergent perspectives on the political role of ethnography, urban renewal, ethnic relations, and the negotiation of shared space. The day ended with a keynote address delivered by eminent urban sociologist William Julius Wilson (Harvard).
