City Futures: Confronting the Crisis of Urban Development Contributor(s): Pieterse, Doctor Edgar (Author) |
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ISBN: 1842775413 ISBN-13: 9781842775417 Publisher: Zed Books OUR PRICE: $32.62 Product Type: Paperback - Other Formats Published: May 2008 Annotation: This book is a powerful indictment of the current consensus on how to cope with the hundreds of "mega-cities" of the developing world. These cities are the future, and the problems surrounding this influx of people--slums, poverty, unemployment and lack of governance--have been well-documented. Pieterse argues that the current "shelter for all" and "urban good governance" policies treat only the symptoms of the problem. Instead, he claims, there is an urgent need to reinvigorate civil society in these cities, to encourage radical democracy, economic resilience, social resistance and environmental sustainability folded into the everyday concerns of marginalized people. |
Additional Information |
BISAC Categories: - Social Science | Sociology - Urban - Political Science | Public Policy - Regional Planning |
Dewey: 307.76 |
LCCN: 2008008256 |
Physical Information: 0.5" H x 5.49" W x 8.52" (0.61 lbs) 216 pages |
Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
Publisher Description: Cities are the future. In the past two decades, a global urban revolution has taken place, mainly in the South. The 'mega-cities' of the developing world are home to over 10 million people each and even smaller cities are experiencing unprecedented population surges. The problems surrounding this influx of people - slums, poverty, unemployment and lack of governance - have been well-documented. This book is a powerful indictment of the current consensus on how to deal with these challenges. Pieterse argues that the current 'shelter for all' and 'urban good governance' policies treat only the symptoms, not the causes of the problem. Instead, he claims, there is an urgent need to reinvigorate civil society in these cities, to encourage radical democracy, economic resilience, social resistance and environmental sustainability folded into the everyday concerns of marginalised people. Providing a dynamic picture of a cosmopolitan urban citizenship, this book is an essential guide to one of the new century's greatest challenges. |