1971-01
Report on MA Thesis
- What is the hypothesis or what are the major research questions?
The major research questions the author used were or may be; what is the degree and nature of clustering of Jews in the United States? How could they maintain the close association just as they had in European ghettos? What is the pattern of their clustering? What was the impact of World War 1 to these clusters? How stable are Jews in the west compared to their counterpart in the east? What is the rate of population growth in the cities? What cities in the United States has experienced the greatest population increase of the Jews? What cities experienced the least population growth?
What is percentage of Jews per capita income in those cities? What is the nature of income (low, fair, high)? What cities experienced the highest number of high income? And by What percentage? Which cities were exception and by what percentage? What is the connection existing between clustering and income? And how is it related to the cities? What is the current trend of their clustering in the city? How predictable is Jewish future mobility?
b. What methods were used to test the hypothesis or answer the research questions?
Demographic data was done through decennial census. Special census was taken in enumerating various characteristics, which included, and labor transportation, direct interrogation was used. Inquiries were handled through mails for 30 years. Presently the population was retrieved from the tabulated data by the religious groups through the Jewish federation
- What main conclusions were reached?
The Jewish community is unique in the United States in the manner in which it was urbanized. In as much it has restricted dispersion so successfully, yet it has managed to achieve high degree of economic success in the 20th Century.
There is reasonably uniform pattern of the Jews dispersion in the twelve cities. Though each city is individually different base on the factor of location and history. The Jews residing in most of these cities appear to be spatially situated in sectors which radiate out in one direction from the central business district toward the city limits.
Jewish population is associated with relatively high income areas; frequently regarded as gilded ghettos. Changes in the urban distribution of Jews during the 20th century reflects metamorphoses of economic and social relation. Near future, many surveys of the urban Jewish population will be underway in most cities with federated council as suggested by Massarik and Nathan.
There is a continuing change in spatial pattern of Jews population. In most places in the United States, the Jews population has remained stationary. The greatest per capita is encountered in the North eastern United States. The lowest number of Jews is in the cities of the south, the Great Plains, and the west. The future pattern of the Jews will continue dispersing in peripheral suburbs and regroup in small gilded ghettos.
Was the thesis of high quality or not?
The thesis was high quality because it had supporting proves that backed the discussion. The author used authentic sources of information to develop his thesis. He made clear conclusions that was backed up with the information he had gathered. It is pertinent to note that the thesis represent a critical point of view and gives a good direction of the work to be done.
