Urban Resurgence and the Consumer City

47 Pages Posted: 15 Feb 2006

See all articles by Edward L. Glaeser

Edward L. Glaeser

Harvard University - Department of Economics; Brookings Institution; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

Joshua D. Gottlieb

National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER); University of Chicago

Date Written: February 2006

Abstract

Cities make it easier for humans to interact, and one of the main advantages of dense, urban areas is that they facilitate social interactions. This paper provides evidence suggesting that the resurgence of big cities in the 1990s is due, in part, to the increased demand for these interactions and due to the reduction in big city crime, which had made it difficult for urban residents to enjoy these social amenities. However, while density is correlated with consumer amenities, we show that it is not correlated with social capital and that there is no evidence that sprawl has hurt civic engagement.

Suggested Citation

Glaeser, Edward L. and Gottlieb, Joshua D. and Gottlieb, Joshua D., Urban Resurgence and the Consumer City (February 2006). Harvard Institute of Economic Research Discussion Paper No. 2109, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=884183 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.884183

Edward L. Glaeser (Contact Author)

Harvard University - Department of Economics ( email )

Littauer Center
Room 315A
Cambridge, MA 02138
United States
617-496-2150 (Phone)
617-496-1722 (Fax)

Brookings Institution

1775 Massachusetts Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20036-2188
United States

National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

1050 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02138
United States

Joshua D. Gottlieb

National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

1050 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02138
United States

HOME PAGE: http://papers.nber.org/authors/joshua_gottlieb

University of Chicago ( email )

1307 E. 60th St.
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

HOME PAGE: http://www.gottlieb.ca/

Do you have negative results from your research you’d like to share?

Paper statistics

Downloads
516
Abstract Views
3,587
Rank
99,550
PlumX Metrics