John Joe Schlichtman

Dr. John Joe Schlichtman is an urban sociologist who is motivated by the potential of equitable, just, and productive community development. A primary goal in his scholarship is to tether our understanding of seemingly huge processes like globalization and gentrification to the street level. His research examines how stakeholders resist or exploit transformation, the decisions residents make in navigating it, its influence on the urban landscape, and the various paths leaders chart forward in its midst. This interplay relates to issues as diverse as community development, housing, economic change, public health, policing practices, and education policy. His books SHOWROOM CITY (2022) and the co-authored (with Jason Patch and Marc Lamont Hill) GENTRIFIER (2017) are both examples of this nuanced and accessible approach. Professor Schlichtman’s research and perspectives have been discussed in such media outlets as Next City, Bloomberg CityLab, The New York Times, the Chicago Tribune, National Public Radio, The Independent (UK), and Architectural Digest. He serves as a board member of the Research Committee 21 (RC21) for Urban and Regional Development. He has been a recipient of the PSA Praxis Award (2012) and was also named a Next City Vanguard (2016).