Jane Jacobs

Biography

Jane Jacobs was one of the most influential urban theorists of the twentieth century. She was author of the seminal book The Death and Life of Great American Cities, as well as The Economy of Cities, Cities and the Wealth of Nations, Systems of Survival, and The Nature of Economies. Her most recent book was Dark Age Ahead (Random House, 2004). She was appointed to the Order of Canada in 1996 for her writings on urban development.

See Work

ESSAYS / Spring 2004

Credentialing vs. Educating

By Jane Jacobs

It has long been recognized that getting an education is effective for bettering oneself and one’s chances in the world. But a degree and an education are not necessarily synonymous. Credentialing, not educating, has become the primary...