Our industrial Urban civilization

Comprehensive in scope, simple in style and substantial in treatment, this book by an internationally known expert in urban sociology offers a handy introduction to the subject covering both the modern West and the modernizing countries. It is also a substantial contribution to sociological knowledge and has special relevance for the present time when the process of in dustrial urbanization is more widespread than ever, affecting a greater part of the world than ever before. This process is now gaining strength in the developing coun tries, revolutionizing the agrarian way of life.

Dr. Nels Anderson focusses on what might be called a viewpoint which assumes that industrial urbanism is an increasingly global way of life, centering in great cities and radiating its influence outward. It is, however, a highly competitive way of life, but also highly rewarding for man inas much as his work is increasingly industria lized and his labour rendered more pro ductive. In this way he is able to raise his level of living and give himself more leisure. But with this comes increasing complexity which calls for special skills and a high level of education and, like all so cial change, also resistance, if not conflict. Dr. Anderson provides in this volume an analysis of this process of development and the complex inter-relationships, and the resistance and conflicts, to which it sometimes gives rise.