Reading Terminal Market - A Cosmopolitan Canopy Elijah Anderson defines “Cosmopolitan Canopies” as “settings that offer a respite from the lingering tensions of urban life and an opportunity for diverse peoples to come together” (xiv). He believes that these spaces allow all people to come together and engage with one another in a positive setting. These canopies are supposed to provide a sense of comfort for the individuals active in them and allow them to “express their cosmopolitan sides while keeping their ethnocentric feelings in check” (Anderson xvii). After visiting the Reading Terminal Market in Center City, Philadelphia, one of the many locations Anderson labels as a cosmopolitan canopy, I found several aspects of the site that both coincide and go against his meaning of the phrase. My observations in Center City have lead me to believe that a location does not have to completely fulfill Anderson's definition in order to be classified as a “Cosmopolitan Canopy”.
In his book, The Cosmopolitan Canopy: Race and Civility in Everyday Life, Anderson takes his readers on a…show more content… With their strong support systems for the community, the canopies are rich and lively in culture. I have found, however, that a location does not have completely fulfill all aspects of Anderson's definition in order to be considered a “Cosmopolitan Canopy”. The experience I had on my trip to the Reading Terminal Market allowed me to realize that the definition of a cosmopolitan canopy can change with a different point of
