The Power of Urban Ethnic Places by Lin, Jan;

Short description:

The Power of Ethnic Places discusses the growing visibility of ethnic heritage places in U.S. society. The book examines a spectrum of case studies of Chinese, Latino and African American communities in the U.S., disagreeing with any perceptions that the rise of ethnic enclaves and heritage places are harbingers of separatism or balkanization. Instead, the text argues that by better understanding the power and dynamics of ethnic enclaves and heritage places in our society, we as a society will be better prepared to harness the economic and cultural changes related to globalization rather than be hurt or divided by these same forces of economic and cultural restructuring.

Long description:

The Power of Ethnic Places discusses the growing visibility of ethnic heritage places in U.S. society. The book examines a spectrum of case studies of Chinese, Latino and African American communities in the U.S., disagreeing with any perceptions that the rise of ethnic enclaves and heritage places are harbingers of separatism or balkanization. Instead, the text argues that by better understanding the power and dynamics of ethnic enclaves and heritage places in our society, we as a society will be better prepared to harness the economic and cultural changes related to globalization rather than be hurt or divided by these same forces of economic and cultural restructuring.

"Lin’s timely and innovative book on the politics of urban ethnic places in contemporary America provides a much needed comparative examination into the intersection of race, political economy, and activism in contemporary cities. This is a must-read and novel resource for anyone interested in critical urban studies and comparative ethnic studies."—Arlene Davila, Anthropology, New York University

"Drawing on rich fieldwork data and rigorous analysis, as well as insight from his own involvements in community work and teaching in world cities from coast to coast, Jan Lin convincingly argues that ethnic heritage sites offer a tool in counterbalancing urban decay and promoting neighborhood stability and sustainability. It makes an important contribution to contemporary urban sociology. "—Min Zhou, Sociology and Asian American Studies, University of California, Los Angeles

Table of Contents:

1. Doing Ethnic History from Coast to Coast  2. Ethnic Communities and Cultural Heritage  3. Ethnicity in America from World’s Fair to World City  4. Ethnic Places, Postmodernism and Urban Change in Houston  5. Heritage, Art and Community Development in Miami’s Overtown and Little Havana  6. Removal and Renewal of Los Angeles Chinatown from the Frontier Pueblo to the Global City 7 . Preservation and Cultural Heritage in New York’s Chinatown and Lower East Side and Impact of the 9/11 Disaster  8. The Death and Life of Urban Ethnic Places