Modern Social Science Research

The wave of the Industrial Revolution propelled rapid urbanization, and the rise of industrial cities engendered numerous complex social issues. The Chicago School emerged as a pivotal force in studying urban social problems through its distinctive theories in communication studies and criminological sociology. By empirically analyzing pathological phenomena such as social anomie and deviance, it sought to foster positive societal transformation. From the perspective of communication studies, the Chicago School emphasized social interaction as the foundation for understanding urban society, positing that communication plays a critical role in human socialization and urban problem-solving. It advocated democratic communication centered on public participation and promoted direct observation and investigation of urban life, demonstrating a unique empirical methodology. In criminology, the School focused on the impact of urban ecology on crime control, offering theoretical frameworks such as the concentric zone model and theories of social disorganization and reorganization to interpret criminal phenomena. Against the backdrop of accelerating urbanization and increasingly intricate social challenges, the Chicago School’s theoretical perspectives and research methods retain significant practical and theoretical relevance for addressing contemporary urban issues.

Chicago School; Urban Society; Communication Ideology; Sociology of Crime