Cities are changing at a rate unparalleled since the industrial revolution and more than half the population of the world now lives in cities compared with less than a quarter in 1950. Construction is booming in and around cities, but the downside to these developments is that cities of the postindustrial world appear to have greater social divisions.
Understanding the Urban examines the contemporary nature and possible futures of cities in a postindustrial and globalized world. Theoretical debates and empirical research from a range of disciplines are brought together to provide an understanding of cities both as complex systems and as the product of collective human action.
This well structured and lively text draws extensively on political, economic and cultural examples from developing and developed countries to explore key topics such as:
· Restructuring of urban employment;
· The transformation of `culture' in cities;
· Locality and community;
· Cities in a world system;
· Production and reproduction of the built environment
· Politics and governance.
To encourage students to develop a critical understanding of today's cities, innovative references to literary, cinematic and www examples are provided alongside conventional academic resources at the end of each chapter.
Cities are changing at a rate unparalleled since the industrial revolution and more than half the population of the world now lives in cities compared with less than a quarter in 1950. Construction is booming in and around cities, but the downside to these developments is that cities of the postindustrial world appear to have greater social divisions.
Understanding the Urban examines the contemporary nature and possible futures of cities in a postindustrial and globalized world. Theoretical debates and empirical research from a range of disciplines are brought together to provide an understanding of cities both as complex systems and as the product of collective human action.
This well structured and lively text draws extensively on political, economic and cultural examples from developing and developed countries to explore key topics such as:
· Restructuring of urban employment;
· The transformation of `culture' in cities;
· Locality and community;
· Cities in a world system;
· Production and reproduction of the built environment
· Politics and governance.
To encourage students to develop a critical understanding of today's cities, innovative references to literary, cinematic and www examples are provided alongside conventional academic resources at the end of each chapter.
The multidisciplinary approach is essential for 'understanding the urban' and for strengthening the book's appeal in this interdisciplinary field of study
The author draws on a range of international examples and empirical studies from developed and developing countries
References to literary, cinematic and www examples as well as academic resources are provided at the end of every chapter
David Byrne
city community ecology employment environment Governance Nation nature politics sociology transformation