“In this carefully argued and impressively researched book, Rast opens a new vista on how the recent evolution of American cities connects to fundamental perceptions of social inequality, government–private sector interaction, and urban form.”

Larry Bennett, author of The Third City: Chicago and American Urbanism

“In The Origins of the Dual City, Rast deftly applies the insights of institutional political science to the history of urban development in midcentury Chicago. Weaving together newly unearthed archival data with theories of political change, Rast demonstrates how ideas about slums affected the policies and plans adopted before the economic restructuring of the 1970s and 1980s. He identifies paradigmatic ruptures that emerged in this critical period, changes that constructed and reinforced patterns of racial segregation and economic polarization.”

Rachel Weber, author of From Boom to Bubble: How Finance Built the New Chicago

"Highly recommended."

Choice