Abstract
The field of urban sociology has been significantly linked to particular cities, with cities such as Chicago (IL), Los Angeles (CA), and New York City (NY) have become hallmarks reflecting both the possibilities and the limitations of the urban sociological imagination. Using what have been three major foci in American urban sociology – 1) Organization of the City, 2) Ethnography and 3) Neighborhoods – using a comparative assessment of the field this paper seeks to apprehend the larger understandings, trends and methods in the field. Comparing urban sociological methods and theories through sections focusing on the three aforementioned themes, this article underscores paths taken in the field whilst highlighting potential new directions.