Adama Science And Technology University

School Of Civil Engineering And Architecture

Department : Architecture, Urban Planning And Design
Architecture Program

Course name:- Urban Sociology

Instructor Gebisa L.

Lecture Two
Outline of the presentation

1) Definition Of Urban(measurement And Concepts)

2) Rural Urban Differentials and the Rural-urban Continuum

3) Definition Of Urbanization

4) Base of urbanization

5) Phase of urbanization
Session Objective

After going through this lesson, you will be able to:-

Understand the meaning of urban in national and international
context.
 To Understand rural urban continuum .

To discuss the definition of urbanization

Understand the phase and base of urbanization

 1) What is urban area

 The term city and town are often used synonymously

and denote populations in a given area performing urban
functions, i.e., non-agriculture/non-primary sector
activities.
1.1 Definition and measurement of concepts

Urban settlement:-
Defining the concept urban settlement is not an easy task. There is
no single definition to which every body agrees. Thus, different
approaches have been developed to define the concept “urban
settlement”

1) Economic

2) Demographic

3) Political/administrative/legal

4) Cultural/social relations

5) Multiple factors definition

Definition and measurement concepts cont’d…

Demographic definition: focuses on statistical considerations.

According to this approach, urban settlements are those settlements
that have certain number of population. This certain number varies
from country to country. For example in:
Botswana ≥5000

Ethiopia ≥2000

USA ≥2500

Peru ≥100

Japan ≥50,000

Denmark ≥250
Definition and measurement concepts cont’d…

Administrative definition (legal):

 A place is said to be an urban settlement through declaration
(charter granting) by authorities.

Economic definition:
Focuses on occupation. Accordingly, an urban settlement is where
the majority of the inhabitants area engaged in other than agriculture
like trade, industry.
It does not mean that the total absence of agricultural activities. It has
to mean that agriculture is not dominant.
Definition and measurement concepts cont’d…

Social relation definition:

Defines urban, as a locality, which has become large, and the inhabitants
do not know another. There is greater face to face contact but the chance of
people to know each other is low.

Multiple factors definition:

since no single definition gives us sufficient meanings for urban
settlement, several factors have to be considered.
In this regard, Alvin Boskoff defines an urban locality as” a community or
complex of communities characterized by dominance of
commercial ,industrial and service occupations, and extensive division of
labor and corresponding social complexity
Definition and measurement concepts cont’d…

Multiple factors definition cont’d….

an accompanying high density of population and the development of
coordination and social control on non-kinship basis.
In order to avoid confusion, the UN has tried to develop its own
definition particularly for the purpose of international comparison. This
definition is based on demographic factors.
The UN has identified 3 categories of urban settlements:

1. big city=has at least 0.5 million population

2. city=has at least 100,000 population

3. urban locality=has at least 20,000 population

Definition and measurement concepts cont’d…

Multiple factors definition cont’d…

UN uses this classification when publishing statistical data. But the
problem with this classification is that it is not adopted by many
countries since different countries make their own local definition, there
is a problem of standard meaning for an urban settlement.
We can think of an urban settlement as being composed of three
functionally interrelated and distinct parts.

1. cities

2. suburbs

3. exurbs
Definition and measurement concepts cont’d…

Multiple factors definition cont’d…

Suburbs are settlements which develop around the city. These are
adjacent to the city and are established for different purposes;
commercial; industrial, residential, etc. such suburbs together with the
city are referred to as metropolitan center.
Exurbs are recent phenomena which came after suburbanization.
Exurbs refer to those settlements beyond the suburbs. Such
communities are found with in 50 to 80 kms Away from the city center.
 Definition and measurement concepts cont’d…

Multiple factors definition cont’d…

exurbs are part of the urban pattern since their inhabitants have the
same lifestyle to the residents of the city. They work in the city or in
adjacent suburbs. Exurbs are particularly common experience of
developed countries. The spread of exurbs is very much connected
with private vehicles and advanced road facilities.
2. Rural Urban Differentials and the Rural-Urban
Continuum

 The originator of the rural-urban continuum is the American

Sociologist-Anthropologists Robert Field.
 He elaborated a model that is the abstract views of the folk society
verse the urban society which becomes the basis of the general theory
known as the rural-urban continuum.
 Redfield’s model consists of typology of rural urban types of
communities’ starting from a small isolated village which called folk
community to large urban conglomeration which simply called the city.
 The city and the folk society represent extreme in continuum and
described as follows.
2. Rural Urban Differentials and the Rural-Urban
Continuum…
 Sorokin and Zimmerman enumerate eight characteristics in which the
urban world differs from the rural world. These are:

(1) occupation

(2) environment

(3) size of community

(4) density of population

(5) heterogeneity

(6) social differentiation and stratification

(7) mobility and

(8) system of interactions.

2. Rural Urban Differentials and the Rural-Urban
Continuum cont’d…

1. Occupation

RURAL: -Totality of cultivators and their families. In the community are

usually few representatives of several non-agricultural pursuits.

URBAN: - Totality of people engaged principally in manufacturing,

mechanical pursuits, trade, commerce, professions, governing and other
non-agricultural occupations.

2. Environment

RURAL- Predominance of nature over anthropo-social environment; direct

relationship to nature.

URBAN- Greater isolation from nature; predominance of man-made

environment over natural; poorer air, stone and iron.
2. Rural Urban Differentials and the Rural-Urban
Continuum cont’d…

3. Size of the community

RURAL:- Open farms or small communities; “agriculturalist” and the size of the
community are negatively correlated to the land.

URBAN:- As a rule in the same country and at the same period, the size of the
urban community is much larger than the rural community. In the otherworld,
urbanity and the size of community are positively correlated.

4. Density of the Population

RURAL: - In the same country and at the same period, the density (of the
population) is lower than urban community. Generally, density and rurality are
negatively correlated.

URBAN: - Density of the population are greater than in rural communities.

Urbanity and density are positively correlated
2. Rural Urban Differentials and the Rural-Urban
Continuum cont’d…

5. Heterogeneity vs. Homogeneity of the population

RURAL:- Compared with urban populations, the populations of the

rural communities are more homogeneous in racial and psycho-social
traits (negative correlations with heterogeneity)

URBAN: - More heterogeneous than rural communities (in the same

country and at the same time). Urbanity and heterogeneity are
positively correlated

The heterogeneity involves variations in language, beliefs, opinions,

mores, and patterns of behavior and so on.
2. Rural Urban Differentials and the Rural-Urban
Continuum cont’d…

6. Social Differentiation and Stratification

RURAL:- Rural differentiation and stratification less than urban

URBAN:- Differentiation and stratification show positive correlation

with urbanity

Difference is high for urban residents in their residential structure,

profession, …

The class system in of the urban environment, based greatly upon

secondary social contacts does not operate in the same way in the
village.
2. Rural Urban Differentials and the Rural-Urban
Continuum cont’d…

7. Mobility

RURAL-Territorial, occupational and other forms of social mobility of

the population are comparatively less intense. Normally, the migration
current carried more individuals from the country to the city.

URBAN: - More intensive. Urbanity and mobility are positively

correlated. Only in the periods of social catastrophes is migration from
the city to the country greater than from the country to the city.

 Mobility, here, is in the forms of migratory movements, movements

from occupation to occupation, or from job to job, and social
movements as characterized by raising or falling of social status.
2. Rural Urban Differentials and the Rural-Urban
Continuum cont’d…

8 .System of Social Interaction

 RURAL: - Less numerous contacts per man. More prominent part is

occupied by primary contacts.

Comparative simplicity and sincerity of relations. Man is interacted as a

human person

 URBAN: - More numerous contacts. Wider area of interaction system

per man and per aggregate. Predominance of impersonal, causal and
short-lived relations. Greater complexity, manifoldness, superficiality
and standardized formality of relations. Man is interacted as a ‘number’
and an ‘address’.
3 Urbanization

What does urbanization mean?

A process by which rural areas become transformed into urban
areas, the changes in the proportion of the population of a nation living
in urban areas and to the process of people moving to cities or other
densely settled areas.
Urbanization is also defined by the United Nations as movement of
people from rural to urban areas with population growth equating to
urban migration.
3.1 Urbanization : Historical Review

 The births of cities have been traced back from the beginning old
stone age. During this age, human beings led nomadic life. People
were primarily food gatherers and hunters. The limited supply of wild
food permitted only very small number of regions to exist in a given
area.
 With the Neolithic period man discovered, among other things, how
to domesticate plants and animals. This was a remarkable change
in human mode of life. Once he adopted agriculture he had to live
near the farm. It is at this time that settlement began. These villages
were initially small due to the low productivity of agriculture.
Urbanization : Historical Review cont’d…

 The first cities seem to have appeared during the metal age.

 There is no agreement on the exact time when early urban

settlements emerged.
 Sociologists are interested more on the factors which are responsible
for the emergence of early urban settlements rather than in
determining the exact time of urban emergence.
 Different explanations have been given for the emergence of early
urban settlements. For our purpose, we will consider three approaches

1. Philip M. Hauser 2. Gidion sjoberg

2. 3. Margaret Murray
Urbanization : Historical Review cont’d…

1. Philip M. Hauser

Philip M. Hauser identified four preconditions for the emergence of

urban settlements

1.the size of the total population

2. the control of natural environment

The environment must be amenable in the sense that it meets at least

minimal requirements for aggregative living.

3. technological development

4. developments in social organization

Urbanization : Historical Review cont’d…

2. Gideon Sjoberg(urban sociologist) identified three preconditions for

the emergence of cities, which are similar with the conditions proposed
by Philip M.Hauser.

1. favorable ecological base

2. an advanced technology

3. complex social organization

3.2 Urbanization : Distinct Phases of Urbanization

We can identify four phases of urbanization

1. ancient urban settlements

2. the Greco-roman cities

3. pre industrial cities

4. industrial and modern cities

Distinct Phases of Urbanization cont’d…

1. Ancient cities:
 ancient cities were small by modern standard.
 They were small walled areas surrounded by agricultural
hinterland. Nenewe, Babylon, erech were significant cities at their
time.
 Earlier cities have to be walled for the purpose of defense. In his
article “the origin and growth of urbanization” Kingsley Davis
provides the following explanation as to why ancient cities were
small.
Distinct Phases of Urbanization cont’d…

Ancient cities cont’d

1. The backward, static and labor intensive nature of agriculture and

transportation. The technology of transport was also a limiting factor.

2. Political limitations: the difficulty of communication and transport and

local tribal cultures made the formation of large national units virtually
impossible.

3. Lack of scientific medicine which make urban living deadly.

4. The fixity of the peasants on the land which minimizes rural-urban

migration.
Distinct Phases of Urbanization cont’d…

Ancient cities cont’d

5. The absence of large scale manufacturing.

6. The bureaucratic control of the peasantry which stifled free trade in

hinterland.

7. The traditionalism and religiosity of all classes which hampered

technological and economic advance.

- Babylon embraced an area of 3.2 square miles

- Ur with its canals, harbors and temples occupied some 220 acrea (≤ 500
persons)

- The walls of erech(ancient city of Iraq) encompass an area of only two

square miles(≤ 25,000 persons)
Distinct Phases of Urbanization cont’d…

2. the Greco-Roman cities

The second phase in the history of urban centers was observed in Europe.

This took place approximately between 600BC and 400AD.

 For instance Athens had a population of about 120 to 180 thousand

inhabitants during the 5th century BC.
The economy of greco-roman cities was agricultural. Yet, major stimulating
factors for the development of urban center were:

1. improvements in iron tools and weapons

2. improvements in sail boats, better and bigger ships were produced

.
Distinct Phases of Urbanization cont’d…

the Greco-Roman cities cont’d

3. Production of cheap coins to facilitate exchange of goods and

services. heavy and perishable

exchange materials were replaced by coins.

4. The development of alphabetic writing: pictorial writing systems were

replaced by alphabetic writing and this had facilitated communication.

5. Emergence of more democratic institutions

Distinct Phases of Urbanization cont’d…

3. pre industrial cities

With the end of the dark ages, cities began to develop once again.

Preindustrial cities refer to medieval European cities; they were

simply cities of feudal Europe.
Many of these cities are now quite large and become metropolitan
centers. For instance

Florence had 90,000 populations in 1339

Venuce had 119,000 populations in 1322

London had 30,000 populations in 1377

Frankfurt had 20,000 populations in 1440

Distinct Phases of Urbanization cont’d…

pre industrial cities cont’d

Gideon sjoberg, in his article “the preindustrial city” analyzed medieval cities
in terms of their

1. ecological organization 2. economic organization

3. social organization

1.Ecological organization:
preindustrial cities were centers of marketing, Manufacturing activities. In
addition they perform religious, political and educational functions
The proportion of urbanites relatives to peasants was small most not more
than 10%. This is due to the non industrial nature of the total social order.
Distinct Phases of Urbanization cont’d…

pre industrial cities cont’d

2. Economic organization

Sjoberg identifies some of the major economic structures of the

preindustrial cities:

a. dependence on animate source of energy for the production of

goods and services (hammers, pulleys, wheel)

b. Little specialization of work: the handicrafts man participates in

nearby every phase of the manufacture of an article, often carrying out
the work in his own home or in a nearby small shop.
Distinct Phases of Urbanization cont’d…

pre industrial cities cont’d

c. Non standardization of products: there is no standard method of

production, standardized measure of quality and quantity of goods and
standard price.

d. Work is performed at home or in the near by shop. Work place and

residential places are not separated.

e. Occupational groups such as smiths are organized in guilds. Guilds

have been established for all types of economic activities like
merchants, handicraft workers, servants, entertainers, etc.
Distinct Phases of Urbanization cont’d…

pre industrial cities cont’d

3. Social organization:
the literate elite class is composed of individuals holding positions in
the governmental, religious and/or educational institutions.
They belong to the “correct” families and enjoy power, property and
certain highly valued personal attributes.
Mobility is minimal and outcaste groups such as slaves and beggars
are not an integral part of the dominant social system.
the formal government was closely related with educational and
religious institutions.
Distinct Phases of Urbanization cont’d…

4. Modern cities
Industrial city and Metropolitan Area With the coming of industrialization new
means of transportation were introduced.
The horse is replaced by the vehicle the walls around cities were no more
important.
 New arms and defense instrument were fabricated.

The industrial revolution was the outcome of new technology facilitated by

extensive use of inanimate power (coal, steam, etc).
The advancing production technology and the development of the factors
system created rising demands for waged labors.
This led to massive immigration of people to the growing urban centers.
Distinct Phases of Urbanization cont’d…

Modern cities cont’d

The process of urbanization took further leap during the 20th century
particularly following the Second World War.
The period experienced increasing size of urban centers (metropolitan
Zion) and emergence of new urban centers.
Metropolises are a situation where a major city center becomes
surrounded by a complex of suburban communities densely populated
and economically integrated.
Conurbation: implies the fusion of several pre-existing cities

Megalopolis: Urbanized region that contains several metropolitan areas.

Thank you