Research Topic Proposal

17 May on Uncategorized  

David Muhieddine 

Professor Creaney 

Writing for Social Science 

March 27th, 2020

Research Proposal 

Abstract

Throughout urban environments and highly dense places within the United States, there has been an influx of arrangements in regards to urban planning that has established a series of immediate transitions to quality of life, daily spending, income, and racial-ethnic composition. This particular process is often referred to as gentrification which carries a negative connotation in terms of dealing with social dynamics since the affair is tied to various social tolls on neighborhoods within a metropolitan area. Such costs can result in the displacement of impoverished peoples, local business shut-downs, and the forced sale of assets (foreclosures). To be specific in terms of the effects of gentrification on housing, renters and/or tenants are greatly vulnerable due to the increase on rent-averages/estimates which may result in rent hikes or evictions. And so, when apartment buildings/complexes are purchased, new owners would often evict pre-existing renters in exchange for new tenants that can afford the higher renting rate. As for the changes in racial-ethnic composition, it is evident that the effects of gentrification will produce a decline on the quantity of racial-minority communities which then limits the efforts to maintain diversification within a municipality. Moreover, with new investments there can be a dramatic increase in pricing for surviving businesses in order to compete with newer 

Businesses. The hipster subculture has unleashed certain ways of living that deals with specific dieting, spending, and even areas of living within a city like New York. And so, one may argue that the hipster subculture is closely aligned to the immediate changes of urban planning (gentrification.)

Background:

Over the years of the 21st century, a series of cultural trends and styles have inhabited the streets of New York City. From the cute and petite coffee shops of Harlem to the thrift stores of Bushwick, the hipster culture has prospered and obtained the attention of millennials  and generation Z. However, this particular subculture is not only found in New York but has a major stronghold in parts of the Northwestern region such as Seattle, Spokane, and Portland. To be specific, hipsters are usually depicted as a subculture of men and women typically in their 20s and 30s who are sociopolitically sound and share common interests in indie-rock/ soul music and modern art. Hipsters generally tend to gravitate towards liberal and progressive ideals as they consistently take part in community affairs within urban environments. With the notion of being against the “corporate establishment” and other various political machines the hipster faction constantly envisions themselves as carrying a non-conformist identity. And so, there is a frequent concentration in being peculiar from the rest that make up contemporary society. One of the main distinctive qualities of hipsters is their fashion style. Typically, a preferable attire would have to look old, outdated, along with a strong vintage frame. This type of fashion sends out a particular statement of an indifferent attitude which then generates a sense of confidence and boldness. 

Objective 

Coming from a neutral standpoint, I would like to gain a better understanding of the connection between the chosen subculture and gentrification within New York City. As we all know, the city of New York supports a more progressive sociopolitical movement compared to other areas of the United States, however there has been a dramatic shift in urban planning which seems to have a direct correspondence to the conformities of the middle-class preference as a form of appeasement. With accumulating research through various news realms and scholarly databases, my goal is to draw an allusion between the result and cause of the hipster movement and gentrification. 

Method

Throughout the process of developing the research for this assignment I will use Scholarly databases such as Jstor, GoogleScholar, and Proquest. These particular databases on the internet will guide me to accumulating a plethora of articles and excerpts from highly credible books that correspond to the research topic at hand. Furthermore, within my highschool and college career, I have developed many meaningful relationships with individuals that have either been directly affected by the process of gentrification or coincides with the hipster subculture. With that being said, I can interview these people that will provide me with a first hand understanding of what the partaking in the  hipster community is truly like and how they feel as individuals being part of said subculture. I feel that these personal accounts will enhance and strengthen the basis of this research assignment. 

Conclusion 

This particular research will focus on the hipster subculture that has expanded all throughout the United States and the effects of gentrification within urban environments like New York City. By creating a connection between the two subjects, there will be various comparisons and contrasts that will further elaborate and answer the problem at hand. Looking at the documents I have collected so far I believe that there is a direct line that connects the hipster subculture with the process of gentrification.  

Work Cited 

Weeks, Linton. “The Hipsterfication Of America.” NPR, NPR, 17 Nov. 2011, www.npr.org/2011/11/16/142387490/the-hipsterfication-of-america.

Alsaeed, Abdulaziz. “Hipster Subculture.” OpenStax CNX, cnx.org/contents/bYlczNqu@1/Hipster-Subculture.

Victoriono , Camila. “The Hipster’s Movement.” Harvard Political Review The Hipsters Movement Comments, 28 Sept. 2014, harvardpolitics.com/books-arts/hipsters-movement/.

Schaffer, Richard, and Neil Smith. “The Gentrification of Harlem?” Annals of the Association of American Geographers, vol. 76, no. 3, 1986, pp. 347–365. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/2562585. Accessed 1 Apr. 2020.

“Boulevards, Gentrification, and Urban Culture.” Taking Back the Boulevard: Art, Activism, and Gentrification in Los Angeles, by Jan Lin, NYU Press, New York, 2019, pp. 17–55. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctvwrm42r.5. Accessed 1 Apr. 2020.