Global Forms, Local Contents: Cultural Expressions and Cosmopolitanism in American Cities

How does cultural diversity relate to amenities and industry structures in major American cities? Are we becoming more cosmopolitan? In this dissertation, I explore the global and local dynamics relating to the growth of cosmopolitanism and industries in cities. More than just the influence of corporations and foreign investments, globalization develops faster as people participate in this process in their everyday life, by consuming ideas produced somewhere else, and by exporting their own. Immigrants are the most active participants of globalization, as they express their cultures in the form of businesses, arts, community activities, social media, and more, which locals notice, discover, participate in, and enjoy. Thus, people may become cosmopolitans by exposure without traveling too far. Cities with more diverse populations tend also to attract more diverse industries and amenities, in order to cater to different tastes. So, does diversity attract diversity? While this may be seen primarily as a result of large populations, preliminary results show that foreigners tend to concentrate in areas of high diversity, lower crime, and high industry diversity. Some ethnicities also tend to concentrate around ethnicities of similar culture or close countries of origins, while others tend to assimilate with other more distant cultures when they migrate. There are different trends concerning different ethnic groups in the way they concentrate in American cities. Using data science and mapping methods, and the American Census’ data, I analyze how cosmopolitan cities attract migrants and industries. American cities have shifted from manufacturing and retail towards health, education, and professional and technical services, as the influences of globalization, automation, and the internet grow.