General Information

Author/Creator

Kotkin, Joel, 1952-

Language

English.

Published

London : Phoenix, c2005.

Physical Description

xxvii, 218 p. ; 20 cm.

Series

A Phoenix paperback

Contents/Summary

Summary

If humankind can be said to have a single greatest creation, it would be those places that represent the most eloquent expression of our species’s ingenuity, beliefs, and ideals: the city. In this authoritative and engagingly written account, the acclaimed urbanist and bestselling author examines the evolution of urban life over the millennia and, in doing so, attempts to answer the age-old question: What makes a city great? Despite their infinite variety, all cities essentially serve three purposes: spiritual, political, and economic. Kotkin follows the progression of the city from the early religious centers of Mesopotamia, the Indus Valley, and China to the imperial centers of the Classical era, through the rise of the Islamic city and the European commercial capitals, ending with today’s post-industrial suburban metropolis. Despite widespread optimistic claims that cities are “back in style,” Kotkin warns that whatever their form, cities can thrive only if they remain sacred, safe, and busy–and this is true for both the increasingly urbanized developing world and the often self-possessed “global cities” of the West and East Asia. Looking at cities in the twenty-first century, Kotkin discusses the effects of developments such as shifting demographics and emerging technologies. He also considers the effects of terrorism–how the religious and cultural struggles of the present pose the greatest challenge to the urban future.

Subjects

Subject

Cities and towns > History.

Sociology, Urban.

Civilization.

Bibliographic Information

Responsibility

Joel Kotkin.

Content

Pt. I. Origins: the rise of cities in a global context -- Pt. II. Classical cities in Europe -- Pt. III. The oriental epoch --Pt. IV. Western cities reassert their primacy -- Pt. V. The industrial city -- Pt. VI. The modern metropolis.

ISBN

9780753820629

0753820625

Holdings

Item Type	Current Location	Collection	Call Number	Volume Info	Shelving Location	Public Note
Book	OSA Archivum Library	General collection	307.76/09 KOT		OSA Repository	Donation of Márk László-Herbert.

Browse related items