Making Sense of America

Herbert J. Gans, Robert S. Lynd Professor of Sociology at Columbia University, is the author of numerous books and articles on urban problems, social policy, and American culture.

Herbert Gans has, more than any other sociologist, been more successful for a longer time in bringing the insights and findings of sociological work to the attention of the general public. His research has always been probing and on the mark right down to the details, and his thinking about public issues and policy has those qualities too. These essays give the full flavor of a life of hard work and solid thought.

• Part 1 The EthnographiesChapter 2 The Destruction of Boston's West EndChapter 3 Suburban Homogeneity and Conformity: Myth and RealityChapter 4 Values in the NewsPart 5 Urban Poverty - Theory and PolicyChapter 6 The Positive Functions of PovertyChapter 7 The Federal Role in Solving America's Urban ProblemsChapter 8 Time for an Employee’s LobbyChapter 9 Some Utopian ScenariosPart 10 Ethnicity, Ethnic Groups, and ImmigrationChapter 11 The Birth and Growth of a Suburban Jewish CommunityChapter 12 Symbolic Ethnicity: The Future of Ethnic Groups and Cultures in AmericaChapter 13 Second Generation Decline: Scenarios for the Economic and Ethnic Futures of Post-1965 American ImmigrantsChapter 14 Toward a Reconciliation of “Assimilation” and “Pluralism”: The Interplay of Acculturation and Ethnic RetentionPart 15 Sociology in AmericaChapter 16 Sociology in America: The Discipline and the PublicChapter 17 Best Sellers by American Sociologists: An Exploratory StudyChapter 18 Sociological Amnesia: The Shortness of the Discipline's Attention SpanPart 19 Other Ways of Doing SociologyChapter 20 Two SatiresChapter 21 The Hard-Core ExperimentChapter 22 The Workfare PresidencyChapter 23 Two Op-Ed PiecesChapter 24 Preserving Everyone’s New YorkChapter 25 Stop Letting George Do ItChapter 26 Two ReviewsChapter 27 “Jaws”: Urban Hero Saves Small TownChapter 28 Urban Renewal Policy for ChildrenPart 29 AppendixesChapter 30 Appendix A: An Autobiographical AccountChapter 31 Appendix B: Selective Bibliography of Herbert J. GansChapter 32 About the Author