Suburban Studies Now Hot On Campuses

The suburban form is taking over the world, and universities are expanding suburban studies to examine suburbia.

1 minute read

November 27, 2005, 9:00 AM PST

By Chris Steins @planetizen


Suburbs are everywhere - the US, France, Israel, and Manila. Their growth fuels economies. Huge percentages of national populations live in them. Love the 'burbs' or hate 'em, suburban studies is an established, and growing, area at more universities.

"Suburban studies strike an increasing number of students as urgently relevant. Mennel said many Twin Cities problems â€" such as traffic congestion and environmental decay â€" are best described as suburban problems.

"You can't condemn someone for wanting more space. But if we all want it, we run out of space," Mennel said.

Said Rosenberg: "Suburbia is the defining landscape in America right now. Whether you like it or not, you have to understand it.""

Thanks to CollegeTownLife.com

Friday, November 25, 2005 in St. Paul Pioneer Press

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