Sidewalk

One of Duneier’s key arguments is that laws and policies to create order may actually lead to greater disorder. Discuss how the unintended consequences of specific policies and policing tactics change the sidewalk economy. Note how factors like race, gender, and class impact these “quality-of-life” decisions.

Much of the book centers around the clash between the informal guidelines of the sidewalk and society’s desire for more formal regulations. Discuss the benefits and limits of formal social regulation in controlling the sidewalk economy, using examples from the book. 

Duneier speaks on numerous occasions about the gap between himself and the people he seeks to understand. Why does he feel it is so crucial to bridge this gap, and what techniques does he use to accomplish this?

The book discusses both individual life choices and sociopolitical/historical forces that shape the lives of these sidewalk vendors and panhandlers. What are these specific factors, and how do they intermingle to bring many of these men to Sixth Avenue? Reference 2-3 specific characters from the book to support your answer.

Contrary to popular assumptions about the sidewalk, Duneier argues that the “Fuck it!” mentality does not lead to a retreat from society altogether. How do the men and women on Sixth Avenue maintain contacts with society in spite—or perhaps because of—their choice to work in the informal sidewalk economy?

The concept of respect serves as the foundation for many key relationships, and in some ways, the entire sidewalk economy. How does respect (and disrespect)affect different kinds of relationships on Sixth Avenue? And why do these characters rely so heavily on it?

Many of the men describe the effort to work hard and provide for themselves as giving purpose to their lives. What does earning an “honest living” mean to different men, and are there times when these definitions clash among them? How does this concept of working hard on Sixth Avenue differ from the standards of mainstream society or corporate culture?

Jane Jacobs and Wilson & Kelling take different stances on the benefit of disorder and the respectability of “eyes on the street.” Discuss how these two competing academics influence not only urban sociology, but also the lives of the people working on Sixth Avenue.