Teaching Urban Politics Through Baltimore City Elections
11 Pages Posted: 2 Feb 2012 Last revised: 28 Sep 2014
Date Written: 2012
Abstract
This paper chronicles participation in the 2011 Baltimore City Primary Election, focusing specifically on the race for the 9th District City Council seat. Through film and television portrayals in HBO’s ‘The Corner’ and ‘The Wire’, West Baltimore has long been perceived as an example of urban decline. Such neighborhoods – rife with violent crime, drug addiction, poverty, struggling schools, low educational attainment, unemployment, voter apathy and low turnout – are the culmination of years of disinvestment as well as political and economic neglect. Teaching urban politics requires a serious treatment of the aforementioned issues which are endemic to inner city neighborhoods.
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