The Levittowners: Ways of Life and Politics in a New Suburban CommunityIn 1955 Levitt and Sons, Inc. purchased almost all of Willingboro Township, New Jersey, a sparsely settled agricultural area seventeen miles from Philadelphia. They would build 1,200 homes; three basic house types would be erected; ten or twelve neighborhoods would emerge. This suburban experiment was the basis for one of the most famous case studies in urban sociology, Herbert J. Gans' The Levittowners. This classic work examines its subject from numerous angles: the beginnings of group life, the founding of churches, the emergence of party politics, family and individual adaptation, and other dimensions of the suburban experience. In a new introduction, written especially for this edition, Gans reflects on the past twenty years and their effect on the Levittown community. |
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The Levittowners: Ways of Life and Politics in a New Suburban Community Herbert J. Gans Limited preview - 2017 |
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activities actual government adults American asked aspirations behavior block blue collar boredom builder building Burlington County Catholic cent reported church citizens clubs conflict cosmopolitans course critics culture decision-makers decisions demands Democrats desegregation developed election facilities favored feel friends function groups homogeneity increase integration interest interview issue Jewish Jews leaders less Levitt living loneliness lower middle class majority mass media matriarchy meeting minority moved to Levittown municipal munity Negroes neighborhood neighbors nity officials organizational organizations parents participate party Philadelphians planner planning political politicians population problems professional Protestant purchasers question random sample Republicans residents respondents result role row house school board status subcommunity suburban suburbanites suburbia suburbs synagogue taxes teenagers tion town Township Committee unintended upper middle class urban visiting voluntary associations voters wanted William Levitt Willingboro Willingboro Township women