I. THE URBAN CONTEXT. 1. Urbanization in the United States. 2. Sociocultural Influences. 3. Lations in Urban America. 4. Intergovernmental Influences. 5. Fiscal Influences. II. URBAN POLITICS: PAST, PRESENT, AND EMERGENT. 6. Village Politics. 7. Machine Politics. 8. Reform and Modernization. 9. Suburban Politics: Change and Paradox. 10. Post-reform Politics. 11. Post-reform Politics Continued. 12. Emergent Trends. III. POWER AND LEADERSHIP. 13. Group Power and Individual Leadership. 14. Executive Leadership. IV. MAJOR POLICY AREAS. 15. Poverty and Welfare Policy. 16. Urban Transportation Policy: Politics and Technology. 17. Economic and Community Development. 18. Police Behavior in the Urban Community. 19. Education Policy and Politics. V. BUREAUCRACY AND ITS IMPACT. 20. Client-Serving Bureaucracies. 21. Dissatisfaction with Public Services: Issues of Equity and Equality. 22. A Postscript on Alternatives to Public Bureaucracies: Delivering Governmental Services Via the Private Sector — the Alternative of Contracting Out. VI. CONCLUSION. 23. Closing Thoughts. Index.