The crisis of leftist urban theory in postmodernism : the case of the L.A. 'School'
Name
56410228-MIT.pdf
Description
Full printable version
Size
15.02 MB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum (MD5)
64edeaef5a7896f35d5940485069f3be
Author(s)
Whittemore, Andrew H. (Andrew Howe), 1980-
Advisor(s)
Lawrence Vale.
Date Issued
2004
Publisher
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Abstract
This thesis is an exploration into the methodology of a particular group of urbanists based in Los Angeles who call themselves the 'LA School'. It understands their varied approaches as the product of an epistemological history stretching from the mid- nineteenth century through the advent of post-structuralism and postmodernism into the present. It is not an attempt to portray the whole history of social theory in this period but instead it is an investigation into the ways a particular group of leftist scholars approach a city having selected from this heritage particular methods of explanation. In particular it is focused on postmodernism as a significant disruption in Marxist theory of the city. The 'LA School' represents one response to this epistemological crisis in its adoption of particular methodological tools, namely a critical spatial materialism. This adoption speaks to the responsibility of leftist urban theorists to know the city if they are to help it. As the LA School is principally a school of theory, not practice, I understand its greatest contribution to lay in outlining contemporary leftist methods of explanation.
Description
Thesis (M.C.P.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Urban Studies and Planning, 2004.
Includes bibliographical references (leaves 163-170).
Subjects
Urban Studies and Planning.
MIT Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Urban Studies and Planning
Terms of Use
M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.
Persistent DSpace Link
