City of Quartz
Encyclopedia
City of Quartz: Excavating the Future in Los Angeles is a 1990 book by Mike Davis
examining problems facing Los Angeles
. The underlying material was originally intended as a Ph.D.
submission in completion of the requirements for his history doctorate, but it was rejected. Davis completed the work and found a publisher for it, and it became a standard text in many courses in urban sociology
.
The book is a Marxist historical, economic, and cultural dissection of Los Angeles, its residents and their lifestyles and their interactions with real estate developers. Davis contrasts the campaigners for 'slow growth' with the needs of minorities living on the margins and the never ending growth of Los Angeles with environmental considerations. Given its origin as a Ph.D. dissertation, the book is well-annotated.
Davis' unique approach to authoring City of Quartz can be considered a chief factor in the book's widespread appeal, and the very large influence it has had on urban studies since its authorship.
City of Quartz, and various stories from the work, are occasionally cited in local newspaper articles in the Los Angeles Times
, the now-defunct New Times LA
, and particularly, LA Weekly
. The edition of the book published in 2006 contains a preface detailing changes in Los Angeles since the work was written in the late 1980s.
Mike Davis (scholar)
Mike Davis is an American Marxist social commentator, urban theorist, historian, and political activist. He is best known for his investigations of power and social class in his native Southern California.-Life:...
examining problems facing Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. The underlying material was originally intended as a Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
submission in completion of the requirements for his history doctorate, but it was rejected. Davis completed the work and found a publisher for it, and it became a standard text in many courses in urban sociology
Urban sociology
Urban sociology is the sociological study of social life and human interaction in metropolitan areas. It is a normative discipline of sociology seeking to study the structures, processes, changes and problems of an urban area and by doing so providing inputs for planning and policy making. Like...
.
The book is a Marxist historical, economic, and cultural dissection of Los Angeles, its residents and their lifestyles and their interactions with real estate developers. Davis contrasts the campaigners for 'slow growth' with the needs of minorities living on the margins and the never ending growth of Los Angeles with environmental considerations. Given its origin as a Ph.D. dissertation, the book is well-annotated.
Davis' unique approach to authoring City of Quartz can be considered a chief factor in the book's widespread appeal, and the very large influence it has had on urban studies since its authorship.
City of Quartz, and various stories from the work, are occasionally cited in local newspaper articles in the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
, the now-defunct New Times LA
New Times LA
New Times LA is a now-defunct alternative weekly newspaper that was published in Los Angeles, California by the New Times Media corporation from 1996 until 2002. The editor-in-chief for its entire run was Rick Barrs...
, and particularly, LA Weekly
LA Weekly
LA Weekly is a free weekly tabloid-sized "alternative weekly" in Los Angeles, California. It was founded in 1978 by Editor/Publisher Jay Levin and a board of directors that included actor-producer Michael Douglas...
. The edition of the book published in 2006 contains a preface detailing changes in Los Angeles since the work was written in the late 1980s.
Reviews
- Blanchard, Marc. Cultural Anthropology, Vol. 7, No. 4 (November, 1992).
- Decker, Jeffrey Louis. American QuarterlyAmerican QuarterlyAmerican Quarterly is an academic journal and the official publication of the American Studies Association. The journal covers topics of both domestic and international concern in the United States and is considered a leading resource in the field of American studies. The current editor-in-chief is...
, Vol. 44, No. 1 (March, 1992) - Erie. Steven P. Political Science QuarterlyPolitical Science QuarterlyPolitical Science Quarterly is an American scholarly journal covering government, politics and policy, published continuously since 1886 by the Academy of Political Science. It is the oldest political science journal in the United States....
, Vol. 107., No. 1 (Spring, 1992). - Ford, Richard T. Transition, No. 57 (1992).
- Horton, John. Contemporary Sociology, Vol. 20, No. 6 (November, 1991).
- Kirkham, Pat. Journal of Design History, Vol. 5., No. 2 (1992).
- Knox, Paul. Annals of the Association of American Geographers, Vol. 83, No. 1 (March 1993).
- Williams, Rosalind. Journal of American HistoryJournal of American HistoryThe Journal of American History is the official academic journal of the Organization of American Historians. It covers the field of American history and was established in 1914 as the Mississippi Valley Historical Review, the official journal of the Mississippi Valley Historical Association...
, Vol. 79, No. 4 (March, 1993).