Urban Public Spaces, Events, and Gun Violence

This book offers a new vision on urban gun violence that focuses on public space-centered concepts, events, and research. It builds on our existing knowledge base by viewing a "slice" of this problem through celebratory and solemn occasions and how violence at these events and spaces reflects on the state of urban gun violence. Understanding this context serves to inform us on how best to address this social phenomenon. Gun violence in the United States is a salient national problem with virtually no day that goes by without it occurring, particularly in urban public spaces, making it a significant social event. This book uniquely presents an urban- and event-focused context for gun violence. It also draws attention to marginalized urban communities, merging urban public spaces, events, intersectionality, social justice, and gun violence, introducing a unique window to better comprehend this violence as a national issue and bringing profound consequences when it transpires in a public event. To examine the context of public spaces and events in gun violence, the author organized the book’s ten chapters in three sections: - Part I: Conceptual Foundation sets the foundation for a multifaceted perspective. - Part II: Celebratory and Solemn Events expands the gun violence arena. - Part III: Implications for Research, Education, and Practice. Urban Public Spaces, Events, and Gun Violence: Block Parties, Funerals, Mother’s Day, and Other Community Events expands the context of gun violence beyond the street scene to include public settings and events, and helps in achieving a comprehensive understanding of this public health problem and how best to solve it. The book is essential reading for practitioners, academics, and researchers in public health, social work, criminal justice, and community practice. “Urban Public Spaces, Events, and Gun Violence is a must-read to understand the enormous negative impact of gun violence on the social, economic, and cultural wellbeing of disadvantaged Black and Latino communities and other communities across the U.S. The book discusses tangible solutions that could effectively address the problem of gun violence throughout this country.” -Mario de la Rosa, Distinguished Professor of Social Work, Florida International University