Part 1 1. Introduction Part 2: The Political Life of Cities 2. The Civic City: The Emergence of Urban Societies 3. The Uncivil City: Violence, Conflict and Resistance Part 3: Urban Governance 4. Political Organisations and the Quest for Urban Power 5. The Government of Cities 6. The Confines of Power: Cities, Regions and States in a Global Perspective Part 4: Identity, Communication and Space 7. The Politics of Urban Identity 8. Information, Communication and the Networks of Urban Power 9. The Landscapes of Urban Power Part 5: Conclusion 10. Power and Politics in the City
Biography
Simon Parker is Senior Lecturer in Politics at the University of York where he teaches urban theory and comparative politics. He is the author of Urban Theory and the Urban Experience: Encountering the City (Routledge, 2004).
'Simon Parker brings a remarkable breadth of intellect and a keen sense of the multiple dimensions of power to this wide-ranging examination of cities. He makes startling connections between seemingly disparate urban practices and provides a richer agenda for the study of urban politics.' Associate Professor William Sites, University of Chicago.
'This extra-ordinarily wide-ranging and richly-referenced book charts the rise of the city in human history and uncovers the myriad ways in which politics and the exercise of power have shaped urban life, for good and ill. This is an insightful introduction to the breadth and dynamism of contemporary urban studies and a very timely challenge to anyone who thinks that urban politics begins and ends at the door of the town hall.' Professor Alan Harding, University of Manchester.
