Discussion Question: Population and Urbanization

  

Chapter 23 in Macionis, J. J. (2018). Sociology (17th ed.). Pearson Education, Inc.

Delves further into the backdrop of the economy on the development of society. This chapter lays out the growth of the modern city and the many challenges and negative developments that come along with it. 

For this question, I would like you to identify 1 article that discusses one of these issues. It can be population growth, problems with disposable waste, migration, mortality, poverty, gentrification, etc. You are welcome to choose these or any other issues discussed in your text. You do not need to necessarily discuss the United States, you are welcome to choose any urban environment worldwide. What is the issue being discussed in your article? Do you think the findings are valid? What can be done to combat these issues?

Here is an example:

This journal article identifies that though it seems that those living in urban environments would be less likely to become obese than those living in suburban areas, those in urban areas are actually significantly more likely to be obese due to fewer natural spaces, increased commute times which discourage walking, higher crime rates which also discourage walking and they also tend to live in “food deserts” where there is less access to affordable healthy foods. Other studies also show that those living in urban areas are more likely to smoke and have increased mental health issues. The findings of this article support other findings on urban life. Improving and expanding public transportation is one way that cities can become less crowded. By expanding the reach of public transportation, more people are able to settle in less urban environments while still being able to access employment. 

http://ehjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1476-069X-5-25