Source/Text: Urban Sores On the Interaction Between Segregation, Urban Decay and Deprived Neighborhoods.
Author: Hans Skifter Andersen
Publisher: Ashgate; illustrated edition edition (28 Feb 2003)
Subject Area: Urban Planning, Social Geography and Social Segregation
Geographical Focus: Europe and United States
Chronological Focus: 1980-2000
Uses: The text engages and provokes questions behind the decay of the urban landscape. It gives the reader a deeper understanding of why urban decay appears in certain parts of the cityscape. How this affects us and residents using different research sources from Denmark. This is also compared with other research studies and secondary texts from other parts of the world mainly Europe and the United States. Here the author breaks down different theories and fields focusing on historical, geography, economical and society how these elements affect the process and balance of urban decay through exclusion in communities, how groups are segregated through class, race and area and this leads to a form of social exclusion.
Criticisms: Has a belief his solutions are the answer to the problems presented. There is a lack of worldwide portrayal of segregation and deprived area which is mainly focused on Europe and United Sates.
Source/Text: Comparative Housing Policy: Government and Housing in Advanced Industrialized Countries
Author: Doling. John F.
Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan. (1997)
Subject Area: Government Housing and Polices,
Geographical Focus: Europe, Japan, Australia and United States
Chronological Focus: Post War and late 20th Century
Uses: The text focused on comparative housing. It gives a introductory overview of worldwide governments of the industrialized countries, how they become involved in the of housing policy in the post war era and urban developments. The text goes beyond describing how governments polices affect urban living and conditions. This provides examples and accounts of how state intervention into house has both positive and negative affects to the population.
Criticisms: The text focused on secondary research and text from government sources which limited scope and a fuller picture of a worldwide situation to housing.
Source/Text: The Social System.
Author: Parsons, Talcott.
Publisher: The Free Press/Macmillan. (1964).
Subject Area: Sociology
Geographical Focus: United States/Western society
Chronological Focus: Western Culture/World History
Theoretical Position: Analytical Realist/Functionalist
Uses: Parsons terms, social system as a stable relationship between two subjects, in societies, as systems of societies, or indeed a level between different subjects. He analyzed in terms of living aspects; that is, as systems of information exchange and control, where equilibrium is maintained through social exchanges with other object and systems across different boundaries.
Criticisms: In the text Functionalist to me seems to be static, unable to account social conditions and structure. Parson visual of change is set as a structured or orderly process and has no concept to change.
