The City in Transition Research Guide
Sponsored by the Institute for Liberal Arts and Interdisciplinary Studies, the City in Transition is an ongoing campus-wide initiative to critically explore metropolitan relationships. This guide will introduce you to resources that support courses and projects focusing on urban studies and the city.
Books
Use the library catalog to find books on topics related to the city and urban life. Please note that the catalog is shared with nine other members of the Fenway Libraries Online (FLO). You may go to these libraries and use their collections or you may borrow certain items by clicking on the Place Request button in the catalog. Try the following subject headings or try a keyword search.
City and town life
City children
City planning
Civic improvement
Municipal government
Urban ecology
Urban folklore
Boston (Mass.)--History or New York (N.Y.)--History for works on a particular city.
Key Reference Works
Reference sources provide a great starting point for research with suggestions for further reading and bibliographies.Encyclopedia of Urban America: the Cities and Suburbs [X] HT123.E5 1998 (2 vols)
Essays and bibliographies.Encyclopedia of Urban Cultures [X] HT108.5.E53 2002 (4 vols)
Thematic essays on topics such as "The City and Nature" and articles on specific cities around the world.Urban Sprawl [X] HT 384.U5 W55 2000
History, current issues, legislation, and more in the field of urban studies.Encyclopedia of American Social History [X] HN 57.E58 1993 (3 vols)
Essays on issues related to social change and American history.
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Articles
Search for articles on urban life, affairs, history, and culture in interdisciplinary databases, which will help you approach topics from a diverse perspective.
These sources include abstracts and full-text articles from a wide variety of sources. Journal titles include Journal of Urban Affairs, Urban Studies, City and Community, and more. For help constructing a search, refer to How to Search Databases. To find out if Emerson has a particular article in paper or online, check the Full-Text Finder. To request articles or other materials that the Emerson Library does not own, fill out an online form.
Other Options
In addition to interdisciplinary databases, there are some other databases that you might want to use when researching issues surrounding the city. If you are researching a topic from a psychological perspective, try PsycArticles. For articles from a wide variety of international, national, and local news sources, try various newspapers and transcripts.
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Websites
The Urban Institute
The Urban Institute is a nonpartisan economic and social policy research organization that investigates problems confronting the nation and analyzes efforts to solve them. The site includes news and research on topics such as low-income housing, job markets, and child welfare.U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
"Homes and Communities" highlights government programs and actions and links you to other organizations.
Boston Websites
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The official local government website with links to city departments, Boston neighborhoods, news and press releases, etc.
Boston Historical Society and Museum
Boston History & Innovation Collaborative
Boston Public Library Special Collections
Find information on Boston art, architecture, sports, authors, history, and much more.Boston Radio Archives
History of many local radio stations.Boston Redevelopment Authority
Find neighborhood maps, press releases, jobs, housing information, and more from Boston's planning and economic development agency.
