Neither Android AsyncTask, onPreExecute(), nor doInBackground() will run.

        FetchPlacesListTask placesListTask = new FetchPlacesListTask(this);
        placesListTask.execute(category);

   public class FetchPlacesListTask extends AsyncTask<String, Void, List<Place>> {

        private final Context mContext;
        private List<Place> listPlaces;

        public FetchPlacesListTask(Context context) {
            mContext = context;
        }

        @Override
        protected List<Place> doInBackground(String... params) {
            Log.v("AsyncTask", "doInBackground");

            placeDAO = new PlaceDAO(mContext);
            listPlaces = placeDAO.getPlacesByType(params[0]);

            return listPlaces;
        }

        @Override
        protected void onPostExecute(List<Place> places) {
            if (places != null) {
                adapter = new ListPlacesAdapter(mContext, places);
                listViewPlaces.setAdapter(adapter);
            }
            placeDAO.close();
        }
    }