Renowned sociologist Sharon Zukin will discuss her latest book, The Naked City: The Death and Life of Authentic Urban Places, which explores the gentrification of cities and the subsequent value placed on “authentic” urban life, examining how this new demand for authenticity has driven out those people who were originally responsible for it. By tracing the economic and social evolution of six areas of New York, Professor Zukin will explore how our desire to consume authentic experience has become a central force in making cities more exclusive.