Cities and the Global Politics of the Environment
1 total work
Recent enthusiasm for the city can mask the different geographical levels at which social inequity and environmental destruction are registered. The author argues for extending the metaphor of the urban fabric in new directions, to take hold of how political, economic, and ecological systems are now unfolding at these levels. Taking seriously the idea of cities as pliable fabrics, Interwoven Cities considers how they might weave and become woven into alternative patterns, to better sustain social and ecological life. It rehearses recent theoretical developments concerning global cities and city networks, and suggests ways technology and aesthetics might come together in forming a politics and practice of a renewed and global urban fabric. Each chapter is accompanied by a short city case study, showing the complexities that today entangle urban growth and development.