NEWARK AND URBAN AMERICA
40: 834:330:01 Topics in Public Service (SPAA)
Fall 2014
Conklin 445
Instructor: Steven Diner
e-mail: sdiner@andromeda.rutgers.edu
office: Conklin 420
telephone: (973) 353-2508
Tuesday, 2:30 to 5:20 pm
INTRODUCTION
In the second half of the twentieth century, American cities experienced widespread decline
due to suburbanization, disinvestment and erosion of traditional manufacturing jobs. Toward the end of
the century, many cities experienced substantial revitalization. Newark, New Jersey’s largest city,
became a national symbol of decline after the civil disturbances of 1967. It has undergone significant
revitalization in the last decade, but large numbers of Newark residents still confront severe poverty and
social ills. This course will examine the causes of Newark’s decline and recent revitalization, and consider
the extent to which Newark reflects broader trends in urban America.
Class will be devoted to discussions of weekly assigned readings. Class attendance and
participation in discussion are mandatory. You will undertake a research project on a social/policy issue
in Newark today and will need to talk with people in a social/government agency working to address
that issue today. And you will be expected to share what you have learned with the rest of the class
through oral reports.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND GRADES
Class will be conducted as a seminar. Active participation in class discussion is required. Grades
will be determined as follows:
Research paper: 30%
Participation in class discussion: 20%
Take-home midterm exam: 20%
Take-home final exam: 30%
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Extra credit can be earned by attending conferences or lectures about Newark and writing a
two-page summary of the issues discussed. The instructor will bring such opportunities to your
attention.
There will be no in-class exam.
ATTENDANCE AND PUNCTUALITY
Class attendance is required. You should arrive before the class begins. You should not leave the
classroom while the class is in session except during the designated break. You should not leave class
before it is over. Absence, lateness and departure during class discussion will lower your grade.
BOOKS
Brad Tuttle, How Newark Became Newark (2009)
All other assigned readings are available on Blackboard.
RESEARCH PAPER
Your research paper will examine one of the social problems or policy issues confronting Newark
today which we will discuss in class. These are:
Creating Jobs
Building Newark’s Economy
Revitalizing Downtown
Revitalizing a particular neighborhood
K-12 education
Youth
Immigrants
Poverty
Crime/ Public Safety
Public housing
Public health
The environment
Government effectiveness
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You can select a different topic with the instructor’s approval.
Your paper should focus on a specific Newark organization or public agency that is addressing
the issue you are studying. You should begin your project by interviewing one or more people in the
organization/agency. After the initial interview(s), you will be able to determine what other sources you
can use to research the issue. These could include additional interviews with employees of the
organization/agency, people served by it , records or reports, and more general research on your topic
nationally and locally. For local research, you should visit the Charles Cummings New Jersey Reference
Division of the Newark Public Library on Washington Street. Your interview(s) should be highlighted in
your paper.
TAKE-HOME ESSAYS
In the take-home midterm and final essays, you will need to write an integrative essay drawn
from the knowledge and insights you have acquired from your readings and class discussions. Questions
for the take-home essays will be given to you at least one week before your essays are due.
COURSE CALENDAR
September 2
Topic: Historical Context
Readings: Brad R. Tuttle, How Newark Became Newark (2009), Prologue and Part I
September 9
Topic: Historical Context
Readings: Brad R. Tuttle, How Newark Became Newark (2009), Part II
September 16
Topic: Newark’s Image
Readings:
Scott Raab, “The Battle of Newark,” Esquire 4 (2008), and Cory Booker letter to Executive
Editor of Esquire, June 11, 2008
Phillip Read, “Newark Hopes City Attractions Lure More Visitors,” The Star Ledger, June 27,
2010.
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Tom De Poto, “What Will It Take to Make Newark a Modern City, The Star Ledger, December 23,
2012.
Issue of Radius: Brick City and Beyond
View: TV documentary, “Brick City.”
Due: Topic for Research paper & name of organization/agency where you will interview.
September 23
Topic: Newark’s Economy
Readings:
Opportunity Newark: Jobs and Community Development for the 21st Century, Executive
Summary
Brick City Development Corporation, Market Forecast, March 5, 2013.
Newark Regional Business Partnership, Northern New Jersey: Commercial Real Estate Outlook,
March 5, 2013.
September 30
Topic: Downtown Revitalization
Readings:
David Jones, “Behind Newark’s Biggest Boom in Decades,” New York City Real Estate News,
December 2013.
“Teachers Village Opens First Two Buildings in Downtown Newark; Three Schools up and
Running, With Retail and Apartments to Follow,” Prudential.com, September 26, 2013.
“Education as a Revitalization Agent in Newark,” New Jersey Future.org, 2013.
“Prudential plans to build new, $444M Skyscraper in Downtown Newark,” nj.com, March 20,
2012.
“Dranoff Properties and NJPAC Unveil Plans for One Theater Square,” prnewswire.com, May 5,
2013.
“Shaquille O’Neal to break ground in Newark for new apartment building,” nj.com/business,
September 27, 2013.
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“Whole Foods Market Signs Lease for Space in the Soon-to-Be-Restored Historic Hahne’s
Building in Downtown Newark,” www.marketwatch.com, October 10, 2013.
Joshua Burd, “Panasonic welcomes Christie in officially opening Newark office tower,” njbiz.com
September 17, 2013.
“Nicolas Berggruen Is Building First Phase of 15 Million Square Foot Development In Downtown
Newark,” jewishbusinessnews.com, October 9, 2013.
Maura P. McDermott, :Credit crisis or not, Newark plans for revival of Broad Street area,”
nj.com, December 3, 2008.
October 7
Topic: The Arts & Newark’s Revitalization
Readings:
Elizabeth Strom, “Let’s Put on a Show: Performing Arts and Urban Revitalization in Newark, New
Jersey (1999).
Larry Goldman, “Should the Arts Have a Social Agenda? Not Just Yes. Hell Yes.” (2008)
Americans for the Arts, Arts and Economic Prosperity: The Economic Impact of Nonprofit Arts
and Culture Organizations and Their Audiences in the City of Newark, NJ (2007)
October 14
Topic: Poverty
Readings:
Cornwall Center for Metropolitan Studies, Barriers to Upward Mobility (2013).
“Jersey’s Poorest,” newarknj.patch.com, November 7, 2011.
October 21
Topic: Crime and Public Safety
Readings:
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Jesenia Pizarro and Jean M. McGloin, “Explaining Gang Homicides in Newark, New Jersey:
Collective Behavior or Social Disorganization?” (2006)
Jeremy Travis et.al.. A Portrait of Prisoner Reentry in New Jersey (2003).
Jesenia M. Pizarro and William Sousa, “Strategic Problem Solving as a Tool for Violence
Prevention,” (2008)
Jeff Gruenewald, Steven M. Chermak and Jesenia M. Pizarro, “Covering Victims in the News:
What Makes Minority Homicides Newsworthy?” (2013)
October 28
Topic: Public and Environmental Health
Readings:
Jean Schneider and Marvin Lavenhar, “Lead Poisoning: More Than a Medical Problem.” (1986)
Khadija Shahid et al, “Ocular Telehealth Screenings in an Urban Community” (2012)
Matthew Immergut and Laurel Kearns, “When Nature Is Rats and Roaches: Religious Eco-Justice
Activism in Newark, NJ.” (2012)
Due: Mid-term Take-Home Essay
November 4
Topic: K-12 Education
Readings:
One Newark Website, prepared by Newark Public Schools. In particular, you should read two
items in the website’s “Supporting Materials” section: December 2013,” Building a System: One
Newark,” and March 2014, :Correcting the Facts About One Newark Plan.”
Dale Russakoff, “A Test for School Reform in Newark,” The New Yorker, May 13, 2014.
Council of Great City Schools, “Raising Student Achievement in the Newark Public Schools,”
(2007)
Jason Barr, Alan Sadovnik, and Louisa Visconti, “Charter Schools and Urban Education
Improvement: A Comparison of Newark’s District and Charter Schools.” (2006)
Mark Weber and Bruce Baker, “An Empirical Critique of ‘One Newark’.”
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November 11
Topic: Youth
Readings:
Association for Children of New Jersey, Newark Kids Count 2012/13.
Ronald Chatters III, “Achieving the Goals of the Newark Children’s Bill of Rights,” Princeton
University Woodrow Wilson School (2008).
Roland V. Anglin and Stephen Abbott, “New Jersey’s Juvenile Justice System (2012),
November 18
Topic: Immigration
Readings:
Kimberly DaCosta Holton, “Pride, Prejudice and Politics: Performing Portugese Folklore Amid
Newark’s Urban Renaissance” (2005)
Ana Y. Ramos-Zayas, “Becoming American, Becoming Black? Urban Competency, Racialized
Spaces, and the Politics of Citizenship Among Brazilian and Puerto Rican Youth in Newark”
(2007)
Kimberly DaCosta Holton, “Angola Dreaming: Memories of Africa Among Portugese
Retornados in Newark, NJ (2008)
Due: Research Paper
November 25
No Class
December 2
Topic: Sharpe James & Cory Booker
Readings:
Sharpe James, Political Prisoner: A Memoir, chapter 9, “Newark’s Cheerleader.”(2013)
Andra Gillespie, The New Black Politician: Cory Booker, Newark and Post-Racial America,
Chapter 5, “Policy is Politics”. (2012)
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Brad Tuttle, How Newark Became Newark, Part III.
December 9
Topic: The Baraka Administration
Readings: To be determined
December 16
No class – exam period
Due: Final Essay
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
The university’s Academic Integrity Policy can be found at
http://academicintegrity.rutgers.edu/files/documents/AI_Policy_9_01_2011.pdf. When submitting your
research paper and final essay, please attach the following statement with your signature: On my honor,
I have neither received nor given any unauthorized assistance on this assignment.
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