One of the major growth fields of the past quarter century, American urban history has generated a rich and diverse literature spanning a number of disciplines in the social sciences and humanities. In this time of transition, historians and practitioners alike can benefit greatly from assessing the contributions of the field. This valuable reference work takes a critical approach to existing literature. Dealing with various related avenues of the field which have not always been closely linked together, these essays provide a basis for new synthesis and reinterpretation, as well as for judgment about the lasting effects of the American urban experience.