In the era of visual media, cities, and society are represented, experienced, and interpreted through images. The need for interdisciplinary visual approaches, therefore, is indisputable. By focusing ...on cinema, this paper aims to develop a conceptual, methodological framework through which theory helps a broad range of researchers in social sciences, humanities, and arts interpret the represented phenomenon. Based on Peirce’s model of signs, the framework provides the basis for a dynamic interpretation of the city and society. This paper shows that Peircean cinesemiotics takes advantage of theory in three ways: First, as the basis that provides scholars with clues necessary for identifying eligible “image-signs”; second, as the guiding framework that helps them reach a final interpretation; third, as ideas are being criticized from visual perspectives. As an example of its application, using Jane Jacobs’ “The Death and Life of Great American Cities,” the final part of the paper applies Peircean cinesemiotics to an image-sign from Death Wish (2018) and interprets it as the representation of safety/crime in a neighborhood.
Citizens protest development when they consider it undesirable. One type of development commonly perceived as undesirable by single-family home owners is proximate multifamily housing, often ...considered a cause of property devaluation. This study assesses multifamily housing, by typology, and its monetary association with proximate single-family housing prices. The research design is a cross-sectional study using multivariate regression. The unit of analysis is the detached single-family dwelling. The study population is a sample taken from all arms-length owner-occupied, primary residence, detached single-family property transactions recorded in Tallahassee-Leon County, Florida, USA, during 2008. The key findings show no statistically significant negative associations between multifamily housing and single-family property selling prices in the sample; in fact, the two were positively correlated. These findings address single-family homeowner concerns about proximate multifamily housing and should bolster the political feasibility of Smart Growth policy, which recommends denser urban infill.
This study investigates the cinematic representation of city crime transactions in Chicago in the 1980s. The narrative nature of cinema provides an imaginative context for interpreting the physical ...and nonphysical dimensions of urban crimes. From a critical interpretive position, based on Peirce's semiotics, this study uses “urban cinesemiotics” as the method to select image signs, identify their associated Chicagoan objects, and interpret their design-oriented meaning. The theoretical roots of crime prevention through environmental design constitute the basis for the interpretation of movies. A total of 27 crime-related scenes from 9 Chicagoan movies made in the 1980s illustrate that most urban settings suffer from the lack of crime-preventive environmental design. In particular, natural surveillance (eyes on the street), encounter and enclosure, and border vacuums are major environmental factors that affect urban crimes in Chicago. Some crime scenes also depict why environmental design cannot influence individuals' criminal intentions necessarily nor can they solve urban safety single-handedly.
Wide eyes, a face of surprise, hesitantly asking: "why here?" This is a typical reaction to new international students who come to study in the central agricultural region of the U.S. Stereotypical ...images have made the central U.S. to be perceived as merely "flyover states" to many people, and surprising destinations when chosen for study, relocation, or even travel. For many who are from rural flyover country communities, finding better job opportunities and more diverse options for living have been convincing enough to move elsewhere, causing considerable population decline. This paper investigates the concept of place attachment in the State of Kansas, USA and shows that despite individuals' emotional bonds to certain aspects of their state, most notably the communal aspect, most intend to leave to seek opportunities elsewhere. This study unfolds community attachment factors to an agricultural region and also identifies the types of attachment people have with it.
Zaplemba in prodaja stanovanj sta bili med novejšo gospodarsko krizo resen problem v Združenih državah Amerike, saj sta močno vplivali na posameznike, gospodinjstva in skupnosti. Spodbujajo in ...izvajajo se različni programi za reševanje problema praznih stanovanj zaradi zaplemb, zgoščenih na enem območju. V članku se preučuje, kako bi lahko z zaplenjenimi stanovanji omogočili dostop do cenovno ugodnih stanovanj na mestnih območjih ZDA. Primerjane so prodajne cene zaplenjenih in nezaplenjenih stanovanj v Tampi na Floridi, nato pa so preučene štiri stanovanjske soseske in ugotavlja se, ali bi lahko nudile dostopna in cenovno ugodna stanovanja. Ugotovitve kažejo, da bi z zaplenjenimi stanovanji to v določeni meri lahko omogočili, čeprav na trgu ne dosegajo statistično pomembne nižje cene. Članek prispeva k trenutni razpravi o zaplembah, praznih stanovanjih in propadu sosesk, njegov namen pa je zlasti predstaviti posledice za stanovanjsko politiko na trgih z velikim številom praznih in nezadostnim številom cenovno dostopnih stanovanj. Poleg tega so v članku izpostavljene ovire, na katere bodo lahko lokalne skupnosti naletele pri preureditvi zaplenjenih stanovanj v cenovno dostopna stanovanja.
Concern for resources and energy, as well as limited physical space, has created a market for communities that use compact development with small residential lots to achieve efficient design. The ...Stapleton development in Denver, Colorado, is a smart growth, new urban-style community that offers shared neighborhood pocket parks to residents instead of large individual yards for outdoor activities. Our study assesses resident perceptions of pocket parks as an alternative to private yards and investigates pocket parks as places that foster community interaction. This article is informed by two empirical studies: a park preference survey and a series of walking interviews held with community members. We found that, in Stapleton, pocket parks do help foster community interaction and are generally perceived as a positive community amenity. Our study contributes to the discourse on social interaction in communal spaces, particularly in smart growth, new urban-style developments where pocket parks are offered in lieu of large residential yards.
This study retrospectively analyzes a dozen "Vision 2020" community plans, with critical analysis of their vision statements and subsequent implementation. Evaluation and appraisal review of plan ...implementation is a valuable component of the community development process, as reflection fosters improvement. This study uses document data and personal interviews with local community professionals across the United States to discover outcomes and assess what planners identify as the barriers and gateways to success when implementing community visions. A varied sample was extracted from long-range plans leading up to year 2020 which exemplified a focus on community visioning. Findings discuss what worked, what did not work, and lessons learned. Subsequent discourse is intended to aid community development professionals with future community visioning processes and implementation.
The Middle School Syndrome Gibson, Huston
Society (New Brunswick),
04/2014, Letnik:
51, Številka:
2
Journal Article
Recenzirano
This manuscript explores the notion of the middle. Whether discussing birth order, cars, housing, or schools, first and last seems to overshadow the middle. In particular, when investigating K-12 ...public schools and their relationship to housing prices, a “Middle School Syndrome” was uncovered.
In a time when funding for small communities is limited, an analysis of investment strategy is critical. Façade improvement grant programs are thought to spur spillover of both direct and indirect ...investment in downtown districts by leveraging built capital and harnessing a sense of place. Through case study, with interviews and observational analysis, we empirically analyze this phenomenon in three U.S. communities in the state of Montana; Helena, Kalispell, and Anaconda. Findings show that direct public-private investment through downtown façade grants, administered by downtown-focused organizations in accordance with long-range plans and visions, leverages positive indirect spin-off via supplementary privately initiated renovations and building maintenance. This implies that strategic downtown investment through façade grants generates a multiplier effect, creating layers of return on investment.
Residential foreclosure has been a serious issue during the recent economic recession in the United States, with a profound impact on individuals, households and communities. Various programs are ...being advocated and implemented to alleviate vacancy problems associated with concentrated foreclosures. This article explores how foreclosed condominiums might help provide affordable housing opportunities in urbanised areas of the U.S. We compare the selling prices of foreclosed and non-foreclosed condominiums in Tampa/Hillsborough, Florida, and then follow up with a neighbourhood study for four selected condominiums to assess their potential as amenable affordable housing options. It is found that foreclosed condominiums, although they do not have an overall statistically significant discount in market price, do show promise for potential affordable housing provision. The article contributes to the current discussion on foreclosures, vacancy and neighbourhood decline issues, and it especially seeks to offer policy implications in markets with a large stock of vacant condominiums but not enough affordable housing. However, the paper also acknowledges potential obstacles facing local communities when converting foreclosed condominiums into affordable housing.
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