List of plates viii List of figures x List of tables xii List of boxes xiv Preface xvii Chapter 1 Global patterns and perspectives 1 IntroductionI Studying the urban world 5 A global economy?8 A global society?12 Globalisation debatesIB Conclusion16 Recommended reading16 Topics for discussion17 Chapter 2 Urban populations and places 18 Introduction18 The contemporary urban world 19 A world of towns and cities 25 City size distributions and the global urban hierarchy 32 Economic theories of urban formation38 Social theories of urban formation 44 Conclusion45 Recommended reading 46 Topics for discussion47 Chapter 3 Urban growth and urbanisation: historical patterns 48 Introduction48 Urban growth50 Urbanisation56 Stages of urban development62 Reasons for urban growth and urbanisation66 Stages of global urban development71 Urbanisation in a capitalist world economy 76 Conclusion84 Recommended reading85 Topics for discussion86 Chapter 4 Urban development as a global phenomenon 87 Introduction 87 The new global economic order91 Global finance98 Global services 100 The new political geography101 The urbanisation of the developing world102 Conclusion108 Recommended reading109 Topics for discussion110 Chapter 5 Socio-economic consequences of global urban development 111 Introduction111 The urban informal sector114 Shanty towns119 Service provision125 Health127 Conclusion131 Recommended reading131 Topics for discussion132 Chapter 6 Urban culture and global urban society 134 Introduction 134 Culture and community in an aspatial world137 Global media services 143 Urban imagery and values146 Global urban culture or cultures?148 Conclusion152 Recommended reading153 Topics for discussion155 Chapter 7 World cities Introduction156 The hierarchy of world cities159 The growth and activities of the institutions of global capital 163 The concentration of command and control169 Business information and decision-making 172 Increasing global reach178 Representing and promoting places as world cities 181 Tokyo as an example of a world city186 Conclusion188 Recommended reading 189 Topics for discussion190 Chapter 8 The future urban world Introduction191 The urban future 192 Issues of sustainability 198 Urban sustainability 200 Managing the urban future 208 Conclusion212 Recommended reading 215 Topics for discussion 216 Appendix: Urban sources, definitions and data Definitions217 Data 220 Recommended reading 222 References 223 Index 232