City Status: The Space, Community, and Essence of the Contemporary Metropolis

Author: Ghent City Research Group, Netherlands
Publisher:
Publication Date: 2005-01-01
Features: What did Western cities look like in the late 20th century? How did crowded, dense modern metropolises transform into post-urban or even post-suburban landscapes? What are edge cities and far suburbs? How did the social composition of cities change after the war? What do gated communities and social fragmentation reveal to us? Are public spaces in modern cities becoming increasingly privatized and militarized? How do cities themselves define themselves in these processes? What role will urban consumption aesthetics play? For these questions and many more, this two-part book offers analysis and answers from a unique interdisciplinary perspective. Given that the state of modern cities has been frequently mentioned across various branches of urban research, the first part of the book provides a theoretical overview of the urban state. The following second part offers concrete interpretations of these abstract theories: 18 case studies further enrich and deepen the research findings of the theoretical section, establishing a highly creative logical relationship between specific contexts and general summaries. The Urban State seeks to engage in the ongoing debates about the future and interpretation of urban landscapes by re-integrating research that treats the city as both a material phenomenon and a cultural and spiritual fact. The book paints as detailed a picture as possible of the vibrant urban present, integrating insights from numerous scientific fields and firmly anchoring itself in the characteristics of urban research, proposing that cities should not merely be seen as material landscapes but also as cultural and even spiritual products. The book is divided into two parts: The first part recounts the theoretical research on modern Western developed countries' cities, employing a wealth of materials and case studies. The second part analyzes 18 specific examples of urban states in Western Europe and North America, enriching and deepening the theories presented in the first part. The entire book is organically integrated through a logical argumentative method. It serves as a reference for professionals in urban planning, architecture, and social sciences, as well as for general enthusiasts of humanities.