Mar 12th, 2010 · From President Obama on down, a new wave of black politicians who eschew identity politics has risen across the country. But that has many in the black community feeling that a historic opportunity to address urban issues is slipping away.
Mar 12th, 2010 · From President Obama on down, a new wave of black politicians who eschew identity politics has risen across the country. But that has many in the black community feeling that a historic opportunity to address urban issues is slipping away.
Feb 25th, 2010 · The new Israeli movie Ajami, short-listed for an Oscar, is filled with the daily collisions of everyday urban life in the the port city of Jaffa. Movie critic John Powers says that the interesting characters and situations that fill Ajami remind him of the HBO series The Wire.
Feb 18th, 2010 · An expert at blending musical genres, Citizen Cope (a.k.a. Clarence Greenwood) tells stories with music while incorporating hip-hop beats, quiet piano melodies, a hint of pop and more than a hint of blues. Hear Greenwood's brand of self-styled "urban poetry," live in concert from WXPN in Philadelphia.
Feb 15th, 2010 · Unless something changes, prisoners will again be counted in this year's census as residents of the places where they're locked up, not their hometowns. That means more political power for mostly rural and white prison host communities, and less for mostly urban and minority neighborhoods.
Feb 4th, 2010 · Called the hippest trip in America, "Soul Train," the iconic dance and music performance program that showcased numerous black artists, put the step in the most popular dances, and showcased fashion that everyone had to have. The institution turns 40 this year and VH1 will commemorate the anniversary with a documentary about the influence and reach of "Soul Train" to urban audiences. Host Michel Martin speaks with the project's director J. Kevin Swain, and 1980s R&B/Pop artist Jody Watley, whom the program boosted to stardom, eventually earning her a Grammy-award winning artist.
Jan 29th, 2010 · The Israeli movie Ajami, short-listed for an Oscar, does not include the well-worn characters that Western audiences have come to expect from Middle Eastern movies. Rather, focusing on a gritty neighborhood in the old seaside city of Jaffa, it delves into the urban problems and personal conflicts of the area's residents. And it pays special attention to an often invisible minority — Israeli Arabs.
Jan 27th, 2010 · President Obama is expected to talk about jobs in Wednesday's State of the Union address, but should his administration be doing more for the housing market? William Wheaton, professor of economics and urban studies and planning at the MIT Center for Real Estate, says there's little the government can do to fix the housing sector.