In Motion -Derek Pardue

Thesis: This article is a model for understanding urban live by way of transportation. It is a description of how people move around the city in respects to their social and economical class.

Summary: Derek Pardue's article opens up a new way of understanding life in the city of Sao Paulo. One way is understanding the differences between "centers" and "peripheries". Pardue states " this model dictates that there is a historic and commercially vibrant downtown. As one moves father away from the center basic services and social status significantly diminish........it is more accurate to discuss Sao Paulo as a complex network of centers and peripheries".

He then speaks to a young kid by the name of Robson whom works as a administrative assistant in a hospital. Robson comes from a middle to low class family. His father is their primary source of income and he has gaps in his employment. The significance that Robson story brings to the article is his personal preference to ride the bus rather than the train. he explains this by saying he likes to be able to experience the city. However, because of his economic class he had no other choice to get around the city. Another person that Pardue speaks to is a woman by the name of Edilaine. Her story is much different in comparission to Robson in that she is a professional. She explains how it was taking the train when she was in the beginning of her career. And how she wondered what life was for people who lived in exclusive neighborhoods like "Higienopolis". She was later able to buy an apartment in that neighborhood. She was also able to afford a private driver. However, she explains how she enjoyed taking the subway. Her reasons being it gave her a feel of "modernity." She enjoyed being in the midst of business people , she considered these people modern.

I believe that Pardue's essay was a hit and miss, I think his initial discussion of centers and peripheries somewhat lost focus towards the middle of the article. I do think he was successful in explaining the differences in his subjects perceptions of riding the bus and train. I cant necessarily relate to this because in New York City the subway system services everyone from low class to middle class. However, different neighborhoods exhibit differences in socieconomic class. For instance you will see an influx of businessmen of middle to upper class in the east side lines of the 4,5 and 6 trains. However in contrast on the same subway lines you will see a few homeless people who ride the trains as a means of shelter.