1st Edition

Making Sense of Cities A geographical survey

By Blair Badcock Copyright 2002

    In 2000, for the first time, a majority of the world's population was living in cities. The trend towards increasing urbanization shows no sign of slowing and the third millennium looks set to be an unprecedentedly urban one.



    'Making Sense of Cities' provides an up-to-date, vibrant and accessible introduction to urban geography. It offers students a sense of the patterns and processess of urbanization and the spatial organisation of cities, recognizing the significance of globalization, economics, politics and culture from a range of perspectives. Above all, it seeks to provide a relevant approach, inviting students to engage with competing theories of the urban and to assess them against the background of their own opinions and personal experience.



    Examples and case studies are drawn from a range of international settings, from San Francisco to Shanghai, Sydney to Singapore, giving a genuinely global coverage. The book is written in a fresh and engaging stlye, and is fully illustrated throughout. It is designed to appeal to any student of the urban and will be essential to students of geography, urban studies, town planning and land economy.

    Preface Introduction. Urbanization processes and patterns in an era of globalization
    Urban systems and the growth of cities
    Geography of wealth creation in cities
    Location of economic activity in cities
    Work performed in cities
    Housing markets and residential location in cities
    Social and cultural mosaic of cities
    City environments and lving conditions
    Urban politics and the management of cities
    Outlook for the urban millennium
    Bibliography.

    Biography

    Badcock, Blair

    This book is very accessible and gives a good overview of the main topics, it is certainly recommendable for brief introductions in urban studies for sociologists, geographers and other social scientists.
    Int. Journal of Environment and Pollution

    Making Sense of Cilites: A Geographical Survey offers a strong option for general urban geography courses if a political economy approach with global coverage is desired. Badcock sets a vibrant tone early in the text, engaging his audience by advocating the pursuit of useful knowledge applied to current urban problems.
    Environment and Planning A