Abstract
I review several bodies of empirical urban theory relevant to the archaeological analysis of ancient cities. Empirical theory is a type of "middle-range theory" (following Robert Merton): sets of concepts and methods that are less abstract, and have greater empirical content, than high-level social theory. The categories of theory reviewed here include environment-behavior theory, architectural communication theory, space syntax, urban morphology, reception theory, generative planning theory, normative theory, and city size theory. Most of these approaches originated in the fields of architecture, planning, and geography, and they directly link the urban-built environment to the actions of people within cities.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 167-192 |
| Number of pages | 26 |
| Journal | Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory |
| Volume | 18 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Sep 2011 |
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Keywords
- Built environment
- Middle-range theory
- Planning
- Theory
- Urbanism
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Archaeology
- Archaeology
Cite this
Empirical Urban Theory for Archaeologists. / Smith, Michael.
In: Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory, Vol. 18, No. 3, 09.2011, p. 167-192.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Empirical Urban Theory for Archaeologists
AU - Smith, Michael
PY - 2011/9
Y1 - 2011/9
N2 - I review several bodies of empirical urban theory relevant to the archaeological analysis of ancient cities. Empirical theory is a type of "middle-range theory" (following Robert Merton): sets of concepts and methods that are less abstract, and have greater empirical content, than high-level social theory. The categories of theory reviewed here include environment-behavior theory, architectural communication theory, space syntax, urban morphology, reception theory, generative planning theory, normative theory, and city size theory. Most of these approaches originated in the fields of architecture, planning, and geography, and they directly link the urban-built environment to the actions of people within cities.
AB - I review several bodies of empirical urban theory relevant to the archaeological analysis of ancient cities. Empirical theory is a type of "middle-range theory" (following Robert Merton): sets of concepts and methods that are less abstract, and have greater empirical content, than high-level social theory. The categories of theory reviewed here include environment-behavior theory, architectural communication theory, space syntax, urban morphology, reception theory, generative planning theory, normative theory, and city size theory. Most of these approaches originated in the fields of architecture, planning, and geography, and they directly link the urban-built environment to the actions of people within cities.
KW - Built environment
KW - Middle-range theory
KW - Planning
KW - Theory
KW - Urbanism
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=79960841387&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=79960841387&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s10816-010-9097-5
DO - 10.1007/s10816-010-9097-5
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:79960841387
VL - 18
SP - 167
EP - 192
JO - Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory
JF - Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory
SN - 1072-5369
IS - 3
ER -