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Antisuburban orthodoxy permeates much of the literature on US urban life & the status of suburbia, & presents suburbanites as affluent conformists trying to avoid responsibility for the problems of the central city. Here, biases of antisuburban scholars in their discussion of urban & suburban economics, classes, races, & politics are identified, & it is argued that "suburb-bashing" serves the political values of nonacademics & academics alike. In What, Me Hate the Suburbs? The Irrelevance of Anti-Suburban Orthodoxy, Max Neiman (U of California, Riverside) agrees that some scholars remain antisuburban, but insists that more contemporary treatments are more balanced, recognizing that the diversity of current suburbs renders blanket criticism of suburbia antiquated. In Blaming the Suburbs?, John R. Logan (State U of New York, Albany) contends that Hawkins & Perry have not presented any evidence to support their accusations that suburb-bashing is the predominant theme of urban research, nor any criteria by which others could evaluate urban researchers for their alleged biases against suburbs. The affluent, white, middle-class suburb is a myth that no one believes in anymore. In Rejoinder to Neiman and Logan Hawkins & Percy contend that the effects of antisuburban orthodoxy still persist, & central cities have yet to be examined under the same scrutiny applied to suburbs. 66 References. M. Pflum

Argues that an anti-suburban orthodoxy underlies much of the research and writing about urban politics and metropolitan governance. Challenges this orthodoxy by illustrating and criticizing the arguments which together form it. Addresses arguments about suburban affluence, class bias, racism, fiscal exploitation, and exclusivity. (Abstract amended)

IN COMPLEX SOCIETIES FORMAL POWER, LEGITIMACY, AND RESPONSIBILITY ARE TYPICALLY ALLOCATED TO COUNCILS, OR GOVERNING BOARDS. THIS IS AN OLD STRAND IN AMERICAN POLITICAL CULTURE, STRENGTHENED BY THE GROWTH OF PRIVATE NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AND CONCERN FOR CITIZENS' REPRESENTATION. IT IS ALSO A GROWING TREND IN GREAT BRITAIN, WEST GERMANY, AND OTHER MODERN SOCIETIES. SUCH BOARDS ARE OFTEN TAKEN FOR GRANTED; WE THINK WE UNDERSTAND THEM, HENCE THE VALUE OF INVESTIGATING THE "OBVIOUS." IN THIS ESSAY THEY ARE EXAMINED WITH RESPECT TO THEIR EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL RELATIONS(OR STRUCTURE), THEIR PROBLEMS AND PERFORMANCE (OR PROCESSES), AND THE BLURRED NATURE OF THEIR AUTHORITY IN AN "INTERPENETRATED" SOCIETY WHERE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE INTERESTS ARE INEXTRICABLY INTERTWINED. ILLUSTRATIONS ARE DERIVED FROM THE AUTHOR'S RESEARCH IN THE GOVERNANCE OF LABOR UNION LOCALS, MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENTS AND REFORM MOVEMENTS, URBAN RENEWAL EFFORTS, COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH CENTERS, AND PRIVATE HOSPITAL GOVERNING BOARDS.