Aram Goudsouzian reviews Mitchell Duneier’s new book, Ghetto: The Invention of a Place, the History of an Idea. In the book, Duneier explores how the term “ghetto” has evolved throughout history, and what we understand the American ghetto to be today:

Engaging a host of classic works of urban sociology, Duneier describes how social scientists have grappled with poor, black, inner-city neighborhoods in the United States. His rich intellectual history of the ghetto raises important questions about how we might address the plight of its residents.