The photo is a book we are studying at a small group at my church. It was designed to go with the sermon series of the same name which is based on the book “The Art of Neighboring: Building Genuine Relationships Right Outside Your Door” by Jay Pathak and Dave Runyon. The authors say less than 1% of Christians know names, basic facts and aspirations of the eight families who live closest to them. The goal of sharing this statistic is not to provoke shame and guilt but rather to provide empowerment and encouragement. The small book in the photo is full of stories from many church staff members about how they failed or succeeded at the art of neighboring, accompanied by scripture readings. In our small group discussion, we share our own attempts at neighboring and encourage each other. Sometimes the best neighbor in the world can make up for disappointment in the house you purchased or neighborhood where it’s located. Neighbors can become best friends, confidantes and encouragers. Just as there are a wide range of neighbors, there are also a wide variety of neighborhoods. Let’s learn more about them.
According to Wikipedia, a neighborhood (American English) or a neighbourhood (British English, Australian English and Canadian English) is a geographically localized community within a larger city, town, suburb or rural area. Neighborhoods are often social communities with considerable face-to-face interaction among members. Researchers have not agreed on an exact definition, but the following may serve as a starting point: "Neighborhood is generally defined spatially as a specific geographic area and functionally as a set of social networks. Neighborhoods, then, are the spatial units in which face-to-face social interactions occur — the personal settings and situations where residents seek to realize common values, socialize youth and maintain effective social control."
Ekistics is the science of human settlements including regional, city, community planning and dwelling design. Its major incentive was the emergence of increasingly large and complex conurbations, tending even to a worldwide city. A conurbation is a region comprising a number of metropolises, cities, large towns and other urban areas that — through population growth and physical expansion — have merged to form one continuous urban or industrially developed area. The study of ekistics involves every kind of human settlement, with particular attention to geography, ecology, human psychology, anthropology, culture, politics and occasionally aesthetics.
As a scientific mode of study, ekistics currently relies on statistics and description, organized in five ekistic elements or principles: nature, anthropos, society, shells and networks. It is generally a more scientific field than urban planning, and has considerable overlap with some of the less restrained fields of architectural theory.
In application, conclusions are drawn aimed at achieving harmony among the inhabitants of a settlement and their physical and sociocultural environments.
Preindustrial cities
In the words of the urban scholar Lewis Mumford, "Neighborhoods, in some annoying, inchoate fashion exist wherever human beings congregate, in permanent family dwellings; and many of the functions of the city tend to be distributed naturally — that is, without any theoretical preoccupation or political direction — into neighborhoods." Most of the earliest cities around the world as excavated by archaeologists have evidence for the presence of social neighborhoods. Historical documents shed light on neighborhood life in numerous historical preindustrial or nonwestern cities.
Neighborhoods are typically generated by social interaction among people living near one another. In this sense they are local social units larger than households not directly under the control of city or state officials. In some preindustrial urban traditions, basic municipal functions such as protection, social regulation of births and marriages, cleaning and upkeep are handled informally by neighborhoods and not by urban governments; this pattern is well-documented for historical Islamic cities.
In addition to social neighborhoods, most ancient and historical cities also had administrative districts used by officials for taxation, recordkeeping and social control. Administrative districts are typically larger than neighborhoods, and their boundaries may cut across neighborhood divisions. In some cases, however, administrative districts coincided with neighborhoods, leading to a high level of regulation of social life by officials. For example, in the T'ang period in Chinese capital city Chang'an, neighborhoods were districts, and there were state officials who carefully controlled life and activity at the neighborhood level.
Neighborhoods in preindustrial cities often had some degree of social specialization or differentiation. Ethnic neighborhoods were important in many past cities and remain common in cities today. Economic specialists — including craft producers, merchants and others — could be concentrated in neighborhoods, and in societies with religious pluralism, neighborhoods were often specialized by religion. One factor contributing to neighborhood distinctiveness and social cohesion in past cities was the role of rural to urban migration. This was a continual process in preindustrial cities, and migrants tended to move in with relatives and acquaintances from their rural past.
Sociology
Neighborhood sociology is a subfield of urban sociology which studies local communities. Neighborhoods are also used in research studies from postal codes and health disparities, to correlations with school dropout rates or use of drugs. Some attention has also been devoted to viewing the neighborhood as a small-scale democracy, regulated primarily by ideas of reciprocity among neighbors.
Improvement
Neighborhoods have been the site of service delivery or "service interventions" in part as efforts to provide local, quality services and to increase the degree of local control and ownership. Alfred Kahn, as early as the mid-1970s, described the "experience, theory and fads" of neighborhood service delivery over the prior decade, including discussion of income transfers and poverty. Neighborhoods, as a core aspect of community, also are the site of services for youth, including children with disabilities and coordinated approaches to low-income populations. While the term neighborhood organization is not as common in 2015, these organizations often are nonprofit, sometimes grassroots or even core-funded community development centers or branches.
Community and economic development activists have pressured for reinvestment in local communities and neighborhoods. In the early 2000s, community development corporations, rehabilitation networks, neighborhood development corporations and economic development organizations would work together to address the housing stock and the infrastructures of communities and neighborhoods e.g., community centers. Community and economic development may be understood in different ways and may involve "faith-based" groups and congregations in cities.
As a unit in urban design
In the 1900s, Clarence Perry described the idea of a neighborhood unit as a self-contained residential area within a city. The concept is still influential in New Urbanism, an urban design movement which promotes environmentally friendly habits by creating walkable neighborhoods containing a wide range of housing and job types. Practitioners seek to revive traditional sociability in planned suburban housing based on a set of principles. At the same time, the neighborhood is a site of interventions to create age-friendly cities and communities or AFCC, as many older adults tend to have narrower life space. Urban design studies thus use neighborhood as a unit of analysis.
Neighborhoods around the world
China
In mainland China, the term is generally used for the urban administrative division found immediately below the district level, although an intermediate, subdistrict level exists in some cities. They are also called streets; administrative terminology may vary from city to city. Neighborhoods encompass 2,000 to 10,000 families. Within neighborhoods, families are grouped into smaller residential units or quarters of 100 to 600 families and supervised by a residents' committee; these are subdivided into residents' small groups of 15 to 40 families. In most urban areas of China, neighborhood, community, residential community, residential unit and residential quarter have the same meaning (社区 or 小区 or 居民区 or 居住区) and is the direct sublevel of a subdistrict (街道办事处), which is the direct sublevel of a district (区), which is the direct sublevel of a city (市).
United Kingdom
The term has no general official or statistical purpose in the United Kingdom, but is often used by local boroughs for self-chosen subdivisions of their areas for the delivery of various services and functions, as for example in Kingston-upon-Thames or is used as an informal term to refer to a small area within a town or city. The label is commonly used to refer to organizations which relate to such a very local structure, such as neighborhood policing or neighborhood watch schemes. In addition, government statistics for local areas are often referred to as neighborhood statistics, although the data themselves are broken down usually into districts and wards for local purposes. In many parts of the UK, wards are roughly equivalent to neighborhoods or a combination of them.
North America
In Canada and the United States, neighborhoods are often given official or semiofficial status through neighborhood associations, neighborhood watches or block watches. These may regulate such matters as lawn care and fence height, and they may provide such services as block parties, neighborhood parks and community security. In some other places, the equivalent organization is the parish, though a parish may have several neighborhoods within it depending on the area.
In localities where neighborhoods do not have an official status, questions can arise as to where one neighborhood begins and another ends. Many cities use districts and wards as official divisions of the city, rather than traditional neighborhood boundaries. ZIP code boundaries and post office names also sometimes reflect neighborhood identities.
Literature
“The Neighbor,” short story by Franz Kafka
"The Neighbor" — "Der Nachbar" — is a short story by Franz Kafka. It was written in 1917 and published in 1931 in Berlin by Max Brod and Hans-Joachim Schoeps. The first English translation by Willa and Edwin Muir was published by Martin Secker in London in 1933. It appeared in “The Great Wall of China. Stories and Reflections” (New York City: Schocken Books, 1946).
The main character of the story is a young merchant who initially pretends to be self-assured but finds himself threatened by his new neighbor and possible competitor Harras.
“Neighbors,” short story by Raymond Carver
"Neighbors" is a short story written by Raymond Carver in 1971. It first appeared in Esquire magazine in 1971. It was published in the collection “Will You Please Be Quiet, Please?” in 1976, in the compilation “Where I'm Calling From” in 1989 and again in “Short Cuts” in 1993.
The short story “Neighbors" by Raymond Carver has a plot that follows the exploits of Bill and Arlene Miller who are left to take care of the Stones’ apartment. The plot is chronological and despite a few memories of the characters, the action begins when the Stones leave for their trip and ends after the Millers have gone through their apartment. It is clear that there is a close friendship between the two couples, and it is also apparent that Bill and Arlene find their lives less exciting than that of their neighbors. When the Stones leave for their vacation, Bill goes over to the apartment to water the plants and feed the cat.
As time progresses in “Neighbors," Bill becomes increasingly interested in his neighbor’s possessions, almost as though he is living through them simply by eating their food, drinking their drinks and trying on their clothes. He even takes time off work to spend time in their apartment, almost as if it has a magical quality that makes time fly by. It is also worth mentioning in this summary that Bill’s sex drive increases as he spends more time at the neighbor’s apartment, as does Arlene. Like her husband, Arlene too spends a great deal of time at the Stones’ apartment, rifling through their possessions.
“Neighbors,” a novel by Thomas Berger
“Neighbors” is a 1980 novel by American author Thomas Berger. It is a satire of manners and suburbia, and a comment on emotional alienation with echoes of the works of Franz Kafka. Earl Keese’s character and situation begin realistically but become increasingly fantastic. Keese is an Everyman whose life is swiftly turned upside down. As he scrambles to reclaim his sense of normalcy and dignity, he comes to think that everyone, including his family, is against him.
Earl Keese is a middle-aged, middle-class suburbanite with a wife, Enid, and teenage daughter, Elaine. Earl is content with his dull, unexceptional life, but this changes when a younger, less sophisticated couple, Harry and Ramona, move in next door. Harry is physically intimidating and vulgar; Ramona is sexually aggressive, and both impose themselves on the Keese household. Their free-spirited personalities and overbearing and boorish behavior endear them to Enid and Elaine, but Earl fears that he is losing control of his life and his family. Over the course of one night, the antagonism between Earl and his new neighbors escalates into suburban warfare.
Films
“Neighbors,” a 1920 film by Buster Keaton
“Neighbors” is a 1920 two-reel silent comedy film co-written, co-directed by, and starring Buster Keaton. Buster Keaton and Virginia Fox play young lovers who live in tenements, the rear of which face each other, with backyards separated by a wooden fence and with their families constantly feuding over the lovers' relationship. Each morning Buster and Virginia exchange love letters through the holes in the fence much to the disdain of their families who insist they stay away from one another. Buster sneaks into Virginia's bedroom window as the parents are arguing but he is caught by Virginia's father who ties him to the washing lines and slowly sends him back over to his family's house. After much arguing and fighting, the two families eventually go to court to settle their differences. Buster demands the right to marry Virginia, and the judge insists that the two families not interfere in their plans.
On the day of the wedding the two families are naturally hostile to one another. The wedding is delayed due to Buster's belt repeatedly breaking resulting in his pants continuously falling down. Virginia's father discovers that the ring Buster intends to give to Virginia is a cheap 10-cent ring purchased from Woolworths, and he angrily calls off the wedding and drags Virginia home. Determined to rescue his love and with the help of his two groomsmen, Buster uses trapeze skills to snag Virginia and the two run off together, eventually finding themselves in the coal shed of a blacksmith who has been ordained as a minister who pronounces them husband and wife.
“Neighbors,” a 1981 film starring John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd
“Neighbors” is a 1981 American black comedy film based on the novel of the same name by Thomas Berger. It was released through Columbia Pictures, was directed by John G. Avildsen, and starred John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, Cathy Moriarty, and Kathryn Walker. The film takes liberties with Berger's story and features a more upbeat ending. The screenplay of the film is officially credited to Larry Gelbart, although it was extensively rewritten to Gelbart's public disapproval. Released two and a half months before John Belushi's death, the film marks his last film performance.
Earl Keese is a low-key, ineffectual, middle-class suburbanite with a wife, Enid, and a teenage daughter, Elaine. Earl's peaceful, dreary life changes when a younger couple, Vic and Ramona Zeck, move in next door. Upon arrival, the new neighbors immediately impose themselves on the Keese household, leaving Earl infuriated with the loud, gung-ho Vic, and flustered by the sly and seductive Ramona. Earl is frustrated by his inability to handle them, and the fact that he can never come up with any proof that the couple are doing anything wrong on purpose. Enid and Elaine are no help, and over the course of one night, the antagonism between Earl and his new neighbors escalates into suburban warfare. Earl begins to question his sanity and that of his wife and daughter. He realizes that his new neighbors have provided him with the most excitement he's had in years and that they can give him a promising future, apart from suburbia and away from his family. In the film's closing scene, Earl joins Vic and Ramona, leaving his family behind and his house on fire.
Music
“Neighbors,” song by the Rolling Stones
"Neighbors" is a song recorded by the English rock band the Rolling Stones. Written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, it is an uptempo song featuring a saxophone part played by Sonny Rollins. The song was released August 24, 1981 by Rolling Stones Records and included as the sixth track on the band's 1981 studio album “Tattoo You.”
Jagger was inspired by Richards' own run-ins with his neighbors after the guitarist was evicted from his New York City apartment after complaints that he was playing music too loudly. On the story, Richards said at the time of release, "...Patti [Hansen] (Richards' wife) and I (have been evicted from apartments in New York). Mick wrote the lyrics to that — and he never has trouble with neighbors... I have a knack of finding a whole building of very cool people, you know, but there'll be one uncool couple... “Neighbors” is the first song I think Mick's ever really written for me. It's one I wish I'd written, that."
“Neighbors, do yourself a favor, Don't you mess with my baby when I'm working all night, You know that neighbors steal off of my table, Steal off of my table, ain't doing all right.”
The music video for "Neighbors" was directed by Michael Lindsay-Hogg. It was shot on July 1, 1981 at the Taft Hotel in New York City. Lindsay-Hogg took "considerable" inspiration from the set and suspenseful screenplay of the Alfred Hitchcock film “Rear Window.”
According to mrrogers.org, Johnny Costa, a noted jazz musician, served as the musical director of “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” for more than 25 years.
He was a brilliant choice for music director. He had been trained in classical and jazz piano, and he was a gifted improviser. He had performed in the great jazz clubs in New York but wanted to stay in his hometown of Pittsburgh. When he was offered the job, he told Fred Rogers he wasn’t going to do “kiddie” music. That was fine with Rogers because he wanted to give children the best. And Costa certainly did elevate the sound of music in this neighborhood.
While Rogers wrote the melodies and lyrics for all the songs on “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood,” he gave Costa the freedom to arrange the music and put his own touch on it. His arrangements were so sophisticated that listeners thought they were listening to a great jazz artist.
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