As it is, poverty is already a debilitating affliction. But when set against a COVID-19-ravaged world, it intensifies the torment to a whole new level. To say that the COVID-19 pandemic has an unprecedented global impact is to state the obvious.
Africa is urbanising faster than any other continent… Cities produce difference—and they accommodate difference. African cities are no exception. They rather seem to accelerate processes of differentiation to a degree that makes it difficult to conceive them as an entity, to understand their social complexities and, not least, to govern them.
Los Angeles, as almost everyone knows, is one of the most diverse and influential cities in the United States, if not the world. It’s a global metroplex that resembles a scene out of Revelation when the Apostle John says we will see people “from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages.” But within the urban sprawl of the City of Angels, nestled behind the Hollywood Sign up against the backside of the Hollywood Hills, is a smaller pocket of about 40,000 people in a neighborhood called Studio City.
There is a direct relationship between a city’s built environment and who benefits from it economically. Our phrasing even betrays this connect: “the bad part of town” or “the other side of the tracks.” Or to put it another way, cities naturally obscure parts of the city that are distressed or neglected.
Nestled in a valley just south of the Himalayas lays a dusty metropolis that conjures up visions of spiritual mystery – Kathmandu, Nepal. About three million people call the Kathmandu Valley home. Though located in one of the poorest countries in the world, Kathmandu’s past and present reveals the resilience of the Nepali people as their identity continues to change.
Chicago has much to be proud of with its many accomplishments and its great diversity. In the midst of what seems to be a constant battle of adversity, Chicago has somehow managed to emerge as a global city.
The city is relatively young, growing from a rural farm community to a boomtown after gold was discovered in 1884. The discovery of gold meant a rapid increase in infrastructure, technology and laborers. Within ten years, a stock exchange was established in Johannesburg, which has made it the key financial center in the country and even the continent.
Founded by the Romans around 47 A.D., London has long been a major world city with connections developed over centuries through international trade and commerce. London was the world’s largest city throughout most of the Industrial Revolution of the 19th century and into the 20th century. Today London retains global influence through its financial services […]
The various and diverse listings of cities point to the complexity of urban research. Understanding how each defines “city” and the methodology they use to collect and aggregate data and metrics is critical to any city research and engagement strategy. Following are some of the most common listings. World Urbanization Prospects is a listing of […]
I’m often asked to recommend the best book on cities. As with any worthy subject, one book is not sufficient. Here I want to recommend a few books, or categories of books, that have helped me understand cities and therefore see cities differently.
