More on the question for Essay 2

A follow-up the question I sent you earlier today.

This week we are scheduled to look at Chapter 8 of the text.  Depending on the edition you are using, the chapter might be titled "Slicing the urban pie" or "Foundations of urban social landscapes."  Most of the question can be answered by reflecting on the various ideas presented in this chapter.  With either edition, as you read the chapters you might even quickly recognize the phrases I have used in the question--some are even verbatim.

So, what is this chapter about?  About how where people live in a city can be clustered into social groups and analyzed in many ways.  What do you mean by "social groups", you ask?  That is a fair question.  And the answer is, well, whatever you want.  I mean it.  It can be social groups of rich and poor.  Or black and white. Or Chinatown and Little Italy. Or Skid Row. Or ..... you see what I mean?  It turns out that there are significant geographic patterns in such social groupings across urban spaces.  It is not without reason that the zipcode "90210" triggers very specific demographic images, right?

Geographers, sociologists, economists, well, everybody but rocket scientists seem to have had something to say about this issue.  And, as if such multiple perspectives were not enough, now we see that there is another layer of globalization to worry about.  Well, the text does a good job of presenting all these interpretations.  And it is absolutely information- and idea-rich, which will require you to read the chapter more than once.  So, read that more than once.

Then, do not start responding to the question I have for you.  Yet.
Because you need to spend some time thinking through all that new stuff.  And you will find that everything we have discussed over the last six weeks neatly blend into this discussion as well.  And, to some extent, the chapter for next week and the two readings there also fit in really well.  So, think about all these.

But, do not start writing your response yet. 
Because, you need to figure out in your mind the thesis statement that best answers the question.  You know, the bottom line.

As you start sketching out your essay, you will remember that you need to locate at least one additional reference material.  This should be easy by now--because you have your thesis statement.

Let me know if I might clarify further.  Or if there is any particular concept in the book that requires explanations.  I shall gladly jump in.