City - Suggestions on Researching Human Behavior in Urban Environments

A Journey to the Roots of Urban Sociology – Revisited 90 Years Later
First published in 1925, this classic work has been a cornerstone in shaping modern urban sociology. The ecological approach developed by Robert E. Park and the Chicago School of Sociology team, with this book, not only remained a theoretical proposition but also inspired rich and applied research on cities. This approach has been central to urban studies literature for many years, both in the US and globally.

After 90 years, some aspects of the work may seem old-fashioned to today's reader. Its normative and organicist language, the ethnocentric tone used, or the fact that some theses have become controversial may be surprising. However, with all these aspects, the book still offers a valuable starting point for reflecting on the city and modernity. It is a unique resource for understanding the world of that era and seeing how sociology was searching during those years.

Its emphasis on the concepts of "neighborhood" and "space," its stance against biological reductionism, and its effort to establish sociology as an independent scientific discipline are particularly noteworthy. The extensive urban bibliography in the tenth chapter, covering sources in English, French, and German, clearly demonstrates the intellectual depth of the period.

This work is not merely a historical document; it is also a powerful invitation to question and rethink today's sociological practice. Against today's academia, which is swept away by theoretical fads, it is a meaningful call to return to the discipline's founding questions.