Astoria, New York City

Abstract

The dense urban neighbourhood of Astoria in Queens, New York, is shared by immigrants from dozens of countries, children and grandchildren of older waves of immigrants, native-born African Americans, affluent white newcomers from elsewhere in the United States and many others. What happens on Astoria’s streets, in its parks, schools, and markets is shaped by the histories of diversity in the city and structures of power that transcend the locality. The categories of diversity that become salient in Astoria, influencing daily interactions between people, connect to processes that extend beyond the neighbourhood. The rich history of New York as the quintessential American immigrant city leaves an indelible mark on the experience of diversity in its neighbourhoods. And while New York differs in many ways from the United States, the national context leaves an enduring trace even on the micro-level of everyday life in a city neighbourhood. In what follows, we describe the configurations of diversity in Astoria, analyse the effects of its spatial and physical characteristics, highlight the principles that underlie the local social organization and illustrate the variable application and enforcement of rules that govern behaviour in public space.