Urban category: 4425 books

Introducing a new concept of urban space, Cities and Metaphors encourages a theoretical realignment of how the city is experienced, thought and discussed. In the context of ‘Islamic city’ studies, relying on reasoning and rational thinking has reduced descriptive, vivid features of the...

Systems of transportation long ago developed out of the profound human need to connect and communicate. Transport today is still the only means for the physical movement of goods and people. Alongside the evolution of transportation and communication technologies, the astounding phenomenon of urbanization...

Originally published in 1984. The diverse problems suffered by the urban poor in Asia and the means by which their welfare levels can be raised are investigated comprehensively in this study. All chapters, written by specialists, deal with a particular subject but the general theme remains that the...

First published in 2000, this volume explores how Asia has developed very rapidly in the last quarter of the century and will be a main focus of the world in the 21st century. With rapid growth and development, the urban areas in the region are undergoing dramatic changes. An appreciation of the heterogeneous...

This book investigates critical urban issues related to socio-spatial segregation, housing, daily travel, mobility of the elderly, etc. from the perspective of wellbeing.  This is a collection of the latest research works by frontline researchers working in the fields of geography, urban studies,...

This edited collection investigates the human dimension of urban renewal, using a range of case studies from Africa, Asia, Europe, India and North America, to explore how the conception and delivery of regeneration initiatives can strengthen or undermine local communities.  Ultimately aiming...

This book focuses on observing and understanding the urban planning and relevant development patterns applied to the creation of urban districts against the backdrop of the current rapid urbanization and transformation of Shanghai on its way to becoming a world city. Based on a review of the four...

Urban social movements are influential agents in shaping cityscapes to reflect values and needs of communities. Alongside urban population growth, various forms of urban agriculture activity, such as community and market gardens, are expanding, globally. This book explores citizens’ ‘rights to city’ and alternative views on urban space and the growing importance of urban food systems.

Recent global shifts in population have led to the fast urbanization of Africa. For Africa and the developing world, choosing the right policy strategies, processes, and tools are essential to turning urban centers into engines of industry and economic prosperity. Industrial and Urban Growth Policies...

Urban landscapes are usually thought of first and foremost as engineered formations designed for functionality. It is quite clear, however, that cities and towns are sites of social structure, scenes of diversity, and hotbeds of transgressions. They are also sources of satisfying social relationships,...

This book is an empirically rich case-study of what is currently the most popular alternative-fuel vehicle in the history of motorization – the electric two-wheeler (e-bike). The book provides sociological insights into e-bike mobility in China and discusses politics, social practices and larger...

After decades "in the shadows", urban lighting is re-emerging as a matter of public debate. Long-standing truths are increasingly questioned as a confluence of developments affects lighting itself and the way it is viewed. Light has become an integral element of place-making and energy-saving...

Cities, Change, and Conflict was one of the first texts to embrace the perspective of political economy as its main explanatory framework, and then complement it with the rich contributions found in the human ecology perspective. Although its primary focus is on North American cities, the book contains...

Living on the Boundaries: Urban Marginality in National and International Contexts examines the complex, often controversial issues impacting those who live on the margins of society in our densely populated cities. It describes and analyzes the living conditions of marginalized persons in cities...