Includes bibliographical references and index.

The new urban sociology -- The origins of urbanization -- The rise of urban sociology -- Contemporary urban sociology and the sociospatial approach -- Urbanization in the United States -- Suburbanization and the restructuring of settlement space -- People and lifestyles in the metropolis -- Ethnicity in the metropolis -- Neighborhoods and the public realm -- Metropolitan problems -- City and suburban politics -- Urbanization in the developed nations -- Globalization and Third World urbanization -- Environmental issues and metropolitan planning -- Metropolitan social policy -- The future of urban sociology.