homework (Chicago, Venice, Warsaw: low income, crime, neighborhoods)

[Denise.701]

I need to find out some data. How many people lived in what some people call Ghetto areas in 1969 compared to now in 2008 in Chicago?

[eevee]

and what exactly is a "ghetto" area?

psst, you do realize that areas once considered "ghetto" have gentrify and areas once considered not "ghetto" have deteriorated in the past 39 years, right? again, what is a "ghetto" area?

[Denise.701]

I guess I'm in the wrong place to ask this ? I know I'm from an area that has no ghetto areas and am in school, trying to answer a ? asked of me so I thought if I asked this ? just as I was asked, someone could answer it or guide me to a site that could. So anyways thank-you so much for your time and hope someone can still answer my ?

[eevee]

every town/city in the world has a "ghetto" depending, again, on what you consider a "ghetto".

again, what are the hallmarks of a "ghetto" area? this assignment is pointless if you can't answer this question

[CarolinaBredChicagoan]

Denise, you should know that the term "ghetto" is both potentially insulting and TOTALLY subjective. You don't see a sign that says "now entering the ghetto". There are no boundaries on maps.

A much better idea would be to identify certain low income neighborhoods and trace population patterns of those.

You're asking questions about things that aren't scientifically measured or quantified.

[chet everett]

I don't know about "totally" subjective:
Ghetto - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I would suggest that you could use information about race, income and population to determine area of poor minority groups from 1970: Statistics from 1970 Census of Population and Housing

And then compare that to data from say 2000...

That is quite a bit of work, but that is what you go to school for :wink:

[CarolinaBredChicagoan]

Originally Posted by chet everett

I don't know about "totally" subjective:
Ghetto - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Well, clearly she's not talking about Venice or Warsaw. There's no set area thats easily labeled a "ghetto". Sure, there are rough areas, but it's not a term with attached criteria.

[chet everett]

Totally agree -- if one were to say : "what were the boundaries of the Chicago's poorest most densely populated minority communities in 1969 and how does that compare to the area(s) of lowest incomes and greatest minority concentration today" that is practically a sociology PhD project!

[eevee]

well, why not stop beating around the bush...

Denise, in this country, "ghetto" almost always equals black. in this country, "ghetto" areas are almost always considered to be crime ridden, low income areas heavily populated w/ blacks (whereas, in this country, low income, mostly white areas are rarely called "ghetto"). the term "ghetto", like CBC has said, is highly insulting and most often racist. using this term in a school assignment, w/o any info to your definition of "ghetto" is, will likely be construed as blatant racism and likely not get you a good grade

[Anthera]

Originally Posted by eevee

well, why not stop beating around the bush...

Denise, in this country, "ghetto" almost always equals black. in this country, "ghetto" areas are almost always considered to be crime ridden, low income areas heavily populated w/ blacks (whereas, in this country, low income, mostly white areas are rarely called "ghetto"). the term "ghetto", like CBC has said, is highly insulting and most often racist. using this term in a school assignment, w/o any info to your definition of "ghetto" is, will likely be construed as blatant racism and likely not get you a good grade

but I think the OP was saying that this was how her assignment was worded. she will have to define her terms at the beginning of her paper.