Stacked Decks: Book Talk with Robin Bartram

AIA Chicago’s Historic Resources Knowledge Community presents a book talk with Robin Bartram, author of Stacked Decks: Building Inspectors and the Reproduction of Urban Inequality.

Though we rarely see them at work, building inspectors have the power to significantly shape our lives through their discretionary decisions. In her book Stacked Decks: Building Inspectors and the Reproduction of Urban Inequality, Robin Bartram illustrates the uphill battle inspectors face when trying to change a housing system that works against those with the fewest resources.

Drinks and snacks will be served.

Stacked Decks by Robin Bartram

Stacked Decks is available from the press website (use code UCPNEW for a 30% discount).

About the author:

Robin Bartram is an Assistant Professor of Sociology at Tulane University. She studies cities, regulations, and housing, with a particular focus on housing conditions. Her most recent book is Stacked Decks: Building Inspectors and the Reproduction of Urban Inequality (University of Chicago Press, 2022). She reveals surprising patterns in the judgment calls Chicago inspectors make when deciding whom to cite for building code violations. Stacked Decks illustrates the uphill battle inspectors face when trying to change a housing system that works against those with the fewest resources.