Conference participants focused on themes of social deprivation and disadvantage, the political context of urban disadvantage and unrest, racism and social exclusion, and the response of the news media. They determined these themes are critical to understanding urban unrest and emphasized the negative impact of being at the bottom of the social and economic pyramid in society. Conference participants also looked at economic influences, the differential treatment of blacks by individuals and institutions, and the role and impact of the news media in covering urban unrest. In commenting on the conference, the author concludes that society should treat citizens as an integral part of that society, with certain formal and informal economic, political, and cultural rights, and that the alienation of identifiable groups in society results in anger and lack of commitment to social norms and goals. 2 notes