From Chicago to L.A.: Making Sense of Urban Theory

For most of the twentieth century, the principles of the "Chicago School" have guided urban analysts throughout the world. Los Angeles has been regarded as an exception to the rules governing the growth of American cities. But just as the Chicago School emerged at a time when that city was reaching new national prominence, Los Angeles is now making its impression on the minds of urbanists across the world.

From Chicago to L.A. begins the task of defining an alternative agenda for urban studies and examines the case for shifting the focus of urban studies from Chicago to Los Angeles. The authors, experienced scholars from a variety of disciplines, examine:

• The concepts that have blocked our understanding of Southern California cities
• The imaginative structures that people have been using to understand and explain Los Angeles
• The utility of the "Los Angeles School" of urbanism