In this innovative book, David Smith ultimately links what happens on the ground in the neighbourhoods where people live to the larger political and economic forces at work, putting these connections in a historical framework and using a case study approach. The societies of the world's underdeveloped countries are now undergoing an urban revolutio

In this innovative book, David Smith ultimately links what happens on the ground in the neighborhoods where people live to the larger political and economic forces at work, putting these connections in a historical framework and using a case study approach.The societies of the world's underdeveloped countries are now undergoing an urban revolution that is drastically altering the fabric of their predominantly rural agrarian societies. Smith takes the emerging political economy perspective on urbanization, with its focus on global inequality and dependency, as the context for city growth in the Third World.This perspective allows Smith to critique the conventional ecological view of the city, not by rejecting traditional analyses out of hand, but by reformulating the crucial questions. The conventional ecological perspective assumes an equilibrium model, where very rapid city growth and the various types of urban imbalances are transitional phases on the path to modernity; in contrast, the comparative political economy approach conceptualizes uneven development and inequality as an inevitable result of the expansion of the capitalist world-system.

Provides a comparative perspective on the state of social problems and deviance in a variety of societies around the world. This book explores the theory of the weakness of the strong, in other words, strong or wealthy nations may have greater vulnerability to some social problems than less developed or affluent societies.

The revised and updated second edition of Introduction to Cities explores why cities are such a vital part of the human experience and how they shape our everyday lives. Written in engaging and accessible terms, Introduction to Cities examines the study of cities through two central concepts: that cities are places, where people live, form communities, and establish their own identities, and that they are spaces, such as the inner city and the suburb, that offer a way to configure and shape the material world and natural environment. Introduction to Cities covers the theory of cities from an historical perspective right through to the most recent theoretical developments. The authors offer a balanced account of life in cities and explore both positive and negative themes. In addition, the text takes a global approach, with examples ranging from Berlin and Chicago to Shanghai and Mumbai. The book is extensively illustrated with updated maps, charts, tables, and photographs. This new edition also includes a new section on urban planning as well as new chapters on cities as contested spaces, exploring power and politics in an urban context. It contains; information on the status of poor and marginalized groups and the impact of neoliberal policies; material on gender and sexuality; and presents a greater range of geographies with more attention to European, Latin American, and African cities. Revised and updated, Introduction to Cities provides a complete introduction to the history, evolution, and future of our modern cities.

In Asia, there are a growing number of gigantic megacities, accompanied by a series of speculative and extravagant megaprojects. Amid the fast-paced urban and development challenges, many Asian governments have been searching for replicable and inspirational cases in Asia. South Korea and its capital city, Seoul, are among frequently referenced models. However, South Korea’s "economic miracle" in the late twentieth century has been mostly studied through an economic policy lens. This book revisits the development of South Korea by looking at its urban dimension and exploring the city of Seoul as a developmental megaproject. Offering an alternative to the focus on economic policies when it comes to explaining South Korea’s development successes, Joo looks at the urbanization that took place under the guidance of the strong developmental state. She provides empirical evidence of the "property state" at work, both complementing and supporting the developmental state. She also analyzes why and how Seoul was able to emerge as an important Asian global city and a global front-runner in terms of ambitious and pioneering urban investments, despite its relatively recent history marked by massive slums and urban poverty. This book provides an analytical framework for studying South Korea’s modern development under capitalism as a precursor to East Asian urbanism and development. It paints a comprehensive story of how cities have been politically and economically important to Korea’s development experience and are increasingly becoming a new mode of development.

This is the most comprehensive and readable book on urban geography in the array of contemporary literature on the subject.

The purpose of this book is to provide a key text on urban economics in a global context. The book is driven by the themes of urban economics - urban growth, housing, property investment and development, etc. - and the different approaches to these themes taken in different regions of the world are introduced and exemplified in boxes within each chapter.

Cities and Economies explores the complex and subtle connections between cities and economies. The rise of the merchant city, the development of the industrial city and the creation of the service-dominated urban economy are all explored, along with economic globalization and its effects on cities in both developed and developing economies. This book provides a thorough examination of the role of the city in shaping economic processes and explains the different effects that economies have on cities. It provides an invaluable and unrivaled guide to the relationship between urban structure and economic processes as they compare and contrast across the world. The authors examine the complex relationships between the city and the economy in historical and global contexts, as well as evaluating the role of world cities, the economic impacts of megacities and the role of the state in shaping urban economic policies. They focus on the ways in which cities have led, and at the same time adapted to, economic shifts. Large cities are viewed as the centres of regional and national economies, while a small number are defined by their centrality in the global economy. The book: examines key ideas and concepts on the economic aspects of urban change explores the changing nature of urban economies and their relationships with changes at the national and global levels compares current economic issues and policies of large cities around the world explores the links between globalization and economic changes in cities and the growing competitions between them. Cities and Economies uses case studies, photographs and maps expanding across the US, Western Europe and Asia. Written in a clear and accessible style, the book answers some fundamental questions about the economic role of cities. It is an essential text for students of geography, economics, sociology, urban studies and urban planning.

Written specifically as a teaching text and authored by a team of leading academics in the field, this is the first book to bring together the key issues of rapid urbanisation with approaches to planning and housing. Outlining and explaining core concepts from ‘informal settlements’ to ‘sustainability’, it focuses on the rapid urbanization of developing countries with case studies from Latin America, Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. The impact of rapid urbanization and associated globalization on land-use and housing is described and analyzed with reference to the particular issues of poverty, health and the environment of these areas. Providing an accessible introduction to the key issues as well as enhancing current theoretical debates and exploring practical applications, this book is an essential resource for students and researchers in this area.