9 October book launch Cities in Transition

At the moment, half of the world’s population lives in cities. Within two decades, this figure will increase to 60 per cent. Extreme wealth and extreme poverty occur alongside each other, but cities remain magnets that attract huge masses of people. For many, cities offer the opportunity for work and income, education and better facilities. Using seven different themes, this book offers an intriguing picture of these developments and of our global future.

Cities in Transition investigates the recent urban and political-economic developments in North America, South America, Europe, South Africa and China. It features contributions by more than 30 experts in the field, including Saskia Sassen, M. Christine Boyer, Vittorio Lampugnani, Erik Swyngedouw, Marc Angélil, Joan Busquets, David Grahame Shane, Maarten Hajer, West 8, MVRDV and many others. The book closes with the urban developments in China, with the urgency of education and research formulated by six deans of influential Chinese universities.

Section I: Urbanity as Social Construct
Section II: Globalization/Rapid Urbanization/ Inequality
Section III: Uneven Urban Development
Section IV: Practice/Urban Development/ Landscape
Section V: African Urbanization
Section VI: Smart Cities/Information Technology
Section VII: Chinese Urbanization Postscript: Education and Research in China: Six Deans, Six Perspectives

Cities in transition will be launched at the Architecture Film Festival Rotterdam on Friday 9 October 2015 at 09.45 P.M at Lantaren/Venster cinema in Rotterdam.