Final answer:
During the 1920s and 1930s, the study of urban sociology emerged, primarily focusing on urbanization, the complex study of social, political, and economic relationships within cities, with significant contributions from the University of Chicago.
Step-by-step explanation:
During the 1920s and 1930s, sociologists interested in urban life developed an approach to the study of cities called urban sociology. This field focuses on the study of urbanization which encompasses the social, political, and economic relationships in cities. Researchers at the University of Chicago were at the forefront of this development, as the city presented an ideal case study with its rapid growth and the complex social dynamics that ensued.
Urban sociology considers cities as potential microcosms of universal human behavior, while also acknowledging the unique behaviors and relationships fostered by urban environments. Urban sociologists study various aspects of city life, including, but not limited to, urban economics, urban politics, and the ecology of urban environments or urban environments.
Questions regarding urbanization also explore the important sociological perspectives of functionalism and conflict theory, each offering different lenses through which the ecology of the city and political economy can be analyzed.