For undergraduate courses on Urban History, Urban Economics, Urban Sociology, Urban Planning, Social History, Urban Studies, and Urban Politics.

Helping students understand the historical issues underlying the society in which they live, this text surveys the dynamics of American urbanization from the sixteenth century to the present, the text blends historical perspectives on society, economics, politics, and policy, while focusing on the ways in which diverse peoples have inhabited and interacted in cities. It tackles ethnic and racial minority issues, offers multiple perspectives on women, and highlights urbanization's constantly shifting nature.