1) Discuss the following paradigms of urban geography. For each paradigm, talk about its strengths and weaknesses. Discuss a situation in which it would be a useful analytical approach. For each situation, discuss its bias and what it might leave out.
Positivist
Phenomenological
Structural: Marxist
Structural: CulturalHistorical
Postmodern
2) The following statements come from works derived from each of the paradigms mentioned above. Read the statement and decide which paradigm they represent. Discuss what characteristics lead you to your conclusion.
“Maps are useless, they do not tell us what is important to the people who live in a place. Have them draw a map, and it will emphasize the things that really are important.”
“The dynamic economy of mature industrial capitalism did not last long.”
“Individuals take their income they achieve satisfaction by allocating a portion of it to their housing choice. Thus they satisfy their need in the marketplace.”
“Looking at the layout of streets and blocks, we can tell in what period the neighborhood was developed. First there was the square blocks of the walking city.”
“Then the short rectangular blocks of the horse car suburbs.”
“Rules for one segment might not work for another.A black teenager might not want to put lights on his bicycle for riding to work early in the morning, where he is likely to be harassed and run off the road by white construction workers.”
