The second version of Ida Susser’s Norman Street focuses on the gentrification of Greenpoint-Williamsburg. The original version, published about 30 years ago, focused on the industrial lifestyle of the working class neighborhood in the mid 1970’s. Yet, both share similar bases, as the “fiscal crisis” of 1975 is critical to both the industrial lifestyles of those of Greenpoint-Williamsburg 37 years ago, and how it facilitated change in the area that led to gentrification and a new neighborhood. The fiscal crisis led to diminished public services and increased costs. Industrialization followed, which led to increased unemployment, due to the need of certain skills in which the poor and uneducated people of Greenpoint-Williamsburg did not have.
A key component of the new introduction was the idea of political versus apolitical motivated actions, as well as how social scientists have been important in the history of labor unions and organizations. In many studies, American workers are often “portrayed as locked in their class position, struggling to survive the strain of scarcity and emotionally damaging lives.” (Susser, 70) Susser also describes how the idea of apolitical action came about, but was often disproven by several studies, which show that although some action may seen apolitical, “American workers have a long history of suffering, conflict, and politically motivated action.” (Susser, 71) As Susser goes on to discuss, since the unemployed cant strike and underemployed cannot successfully strike, largely politically-motivated disruption and rioting are ways of defending themselves (Susser, 74).
As Susser states, it is evident that many people in the book relied on welfare or other assets from the state. Politically active groups were largely based off of this, as relationships in the neighborhood formed between those who wanted change for better lives. The book demonstrates the problems and obstructions in a town in which a movement was formed with a strong community backbone and the economic interests and political coalitions, which strengthened the forces of repression (Susser, 76).
Today, Greenpoint-Williamsburg is a different place. Gentrification has continued, and although there are more middle-class homes, homelessness very much continued. The awful events of September 11th, 2001 changed this neighborhood as much as any other. The global economic crisis of recent years played the role of the fiscal crisis 35 years earlier, which led to many other changes that greatly affect the neighborhood, such as train lines changes. However, as Susser points out, one thing has not changed, and that is the community’s desire for a strong, preserved neighborhood, as many groups that formed almost 40 years ago, still fight for their rights today (Susser, 42).
