Week 6- Barker Chapter 12 (Spaces and Places)

Urban studies is directly reliant on cultural studies. The concentration of global power within a few major global centers makes understanding the urban landscape imperative if one wants to understand Western and global culture. Particularly interesting is the decline of the publicly-funded park or gathering place. The ubiquitous nature of transnational companies has led to the integration of the market and the public gathering square in the shopping mall. With the onset of the information revolution, the urban center has become somewhat less important.