Bill Bunge

[Detroitnerd]

I had never heard of Bill Bunge, but apparently he taught at Wayne State University and did a number of unusual maps of Detroit.







Full article: http://indiemaps.com/blog/2010/03/wild-bill-bunge/

[Jimaz]

Looks like an interesting fellow. Wiki

[canuck]

He sounded several alarms and got shut up pretty quick. He is an unfortunate outcast in the uncouth unravelling of detroit's inner-city.

[Lowell]

What an interesting character. I vaguely remember the name but never connected him with this. His theoretical geography maps are a mix of the amusing, the tragic and the informative. This is pre-riot Detroit. I'd bet the Gratiot NE demographic is not at Japanese levels today.

[Ray1936]

Glad I banked all my police payoffs.

[Detroitnerd]

Glad I banked all my police payoffs.

Oh, Ray. You sound like you were one of the good ones.

[canuck]

You are right about the entertaining part of Bunge's work Lowell. In fact, the guy was a pioneer in the kind of work we are used to seeing daily nowadays.
He started applying statistical references to reveal in a graphic way the injustices inherent to inner cities and then focussed on nuclear weaponry.

I tried locating him on the internet but he has evaporated from public discourse it seems. Anyhow, it would be interesting to hear what he has to say about Detroit's progression/regression of the past forty years.

I am guessing his communistic tendencies probably stemmed from his frustration in dealing with the harshness of academe when he was kicked out of Wayne State by the long arm of Nixonian MacCarthyism. I wonder if he has any contact with the good folks at Wayne State who have revived interest in his work of late...

[prodigal son]

From the looks of his works I would say he is terrible at his job and should very much so have been fired. When one claims to be a scientist, and thusly publishes scientific works there is no room for opinion or speculation. You can see that these are just drawings of absolutely no factual relevance from the mind of a man just trying to incite anger and frustration to further his radical agenda. In other words he would have fit in great in todays Detroit.

[canuck]

From the looks of his works I would say he is terrible at his job and should very much so have been fired. When one claims to be a scientist, and thusly publishes scientific works there is no room for opinion or speculation. You can see that these are just drawings of absolutely no factual relevance from the mind of a man just trying to incite anger and frustration to further his radical agenda. In other words he would have fit in great in todays Detroit.

Is naysaying scientific dear sir? Pray tell.

I would say your conclusions are just the type of opinion that let the lid drop on Detroit, a still powerful city in search of itself, badly bruised for lack of proper attention to long drawn out problems.

[MikeM]

We discussed some of his work a few years ago in this thread:

http://atdetroit.net/forum/messages/76017/75622.html

[old guy]

Interesting subject. MikeM, miss your input.

[oladub]

From the looks of his works I would say he is terrible at his job and should very much so have been fired. When one claims to be a scientist, and thusly publishes scientific works there is no room for opinion or speculation. You can see that these are just drawings of absolutely no factual relevance from the mind of a man just trying to incite anger and frustration to further his radical agenda. In other words he would have fit in great in todays Detroit.

Actually, he had developed mathematical formulas to project where ghettos were going to expand. Yes, He was very political. His theoretical geography book was printed in Sweden because he said US publishers wouldn't publish his works. He defined himself as the world's leading theoretical geographer. He didn't give less than a grade of "C" to any male student subject to the draft even if guys never attended class. He said "Ds" stood for Death and he wanted no part of that. I remember a picture of him in the Detroit News on a bullhorn speaking his anti-war message to hardhats working on a new WSU building. His office walls were decorated with crayon drawings by his kids. One was a stick man sort of figure of "Dad" with the word "hero". Prof. Bunge said he lived for his kids. I was GREATLY honored when once I was walking alone with him along Warren Ave. and he mentored me to major in geography.

Professor Bunge was hired by the U of M after being fired by Wayne State. His vocal anti-Vietnam war stance had become an issue getting funding from Lansing for WSU. A couple of years ago, I did an internet search for Professor Bunge. He, unfortunately, has passed away.

Prof. Bunge was observant. He mentioned in class one day, in passing, that while on a trip to Germany that he had noticed a lot of guys in a bus leaning forward sitting with elbows by knees. He noticed because he had been criticized as a child for doing the same. He was wondering out loud if a lot of subtle behavior mannerisms we have aren't picked up from the people around us while we are small children. He didn't draw any conclusion except that is probably how hw picked up that quirk. Scientists notice things.

Thank you detroitnerd for posting this. I was sitting in a McDonald's in Madison to get internet reception when I read the name "Bill Bunge". I yelped loud enough that my wife was startled. I remain a devoted student of my favorite professor. Syria isn't so much different than Vietnam.

[Detroitnerd]

We discussed some of his work a few years ago in this thread:

http://atdetroit.net/forum/messages/76017/75622.html

Wow! Thanks for the link, MikeM!

[Detroitnerd]

Thank you detroitnerd for posting this. I was sitting in a McDonald's in Madison to get internet reception when I read the name "Bill Bunge". I yelped loud enough that my wife was startled. I remain a devoted student of my favorite professor. Syria isn't so much different than Vietnam.

Thank you for that wonderful reminiscence. I am glad to have brought back such memories. He truly sounds like he was way ahead of his time [[or, given the Syria-Vietnam comparison, way ahead of ours as well). Sorry to hear he's gone.

[MikeM]

His book about the west side Detroit neighborhood, "Fitzgerald: Geography of a Revolution," was reprinted a couple of years ago. Local Barnes & Noble stores had it in their local section.

[canuck]

Actually, he had developed mathematical formulas to project where ghettos were going to expand. Yes, He was very political. His theoretical geography book was printed in Sweden because he said US publishers wouldn't publish his works. He defined himself as the world's leading theoretical geographer. He didn't give less than a grade of "C" to any male student subject to the draft even if guys never attended class. He said "Ds" stood for Death and he wanted no part of that. I remember a picture of him in the Detroit News on a bullhorn speaking his anti-war message to hardhats working on a new WSU building. His office walls were decorated with crayon drawings by his kids. One was a stick man sort of figure of "Dad" with the word "hero". Prof. Bunge said he lived for his kids. I was GREATLY honored when once I was walking alone with him along Warren Ave. and he mentored me to major in geography.

Professor Bunge was hired by the U of M after being fired by Wayne State. His vocal anti-Vietnam war stance had become an issue getting funding from Lansing for WSU. A couple of years ago, I did an internet search for Professor Bunge. He, unfortunately, has passed away.

Prof. Bunge was observant. He mentioned in class one day, in passing, that while on a trip to Germany that he had noticed a lot of guys in a bus leaning forward sitting with elbows by knees. He noticed because he had been criticized as a child for doing the same. He was wondering out loud if a lot of subtle behavior mannerisms we have aren't picked up from the people around us while we are small children. He didn't draw any conclusion except that is probably how hw picked up that quirk. Scientists notice things.

Thank you detroitnerd for posting this. I was sitting in a McDonald's in Madison to get internet reception when I read the name "Bill Bunge". I yelped loud enough that my wife was startled. I remain a devoted student of my favorite professor. Syria isn't so much different than Vietnam.

Thanks for the reminiscence. We need more people who are not afraid to rock the boat of academe or any received notions that blur our collective view of reality. I think he was one of those who forfeited a certain comfort in order to get to truths too hard to bear.

[oladub]

Here is a good article on Professor Bunge.
http://indiemaps.com/blog/2010/03/wild-bill-bunge/
This was written in 2010 and there are claims that he was last seen driving a taxi in Quebec. One commenter said he heard Toronto. In one photo, he is sitting with his elbows on his knees at home at a block club meeting.

[marshamusic]

Here is a good article on Professor Bunge.
http://indiemaps.com/blog/2010/03/wild-bill-bunge/
This was written in 2010 and there are claims that he was last seen driving a taxi in Quebec. One commenter said he heard Toronto. In one photo, he is sitting with his elbows on his knees at home at a block club meeting.

wow, this photo brought back memories from over 40 years ago. Folks I used to know, back in the day; I believe the brotha in the afro with his legs crossed was known as Tree, as he was very tall, and in the foreground, sunglasses and beard, Larry; community activists in a group called UniCom, [["united community"), offices on Puritan.

I had to look close to see if I was sitting on those steps. I wasn't, but I could have been, in those days, for sure.

The maps are amazing. I actually vaguely remember the one about the kids getting hit by cars in Grosse Pointe.