Do cities widen the gap between rich and poor?
Several explanations for increasing income inequality have been proposed, including skill-biased technological change brought about by computers and modern telecommunications, the expansion of global goods and labour markets, and changes … Continue reading
Reimagining Planning in the Urban Global South
Over the last 60 years, of course the world has changed, it is a much more complicated place and it is fast-moving, but there are some threads that run through … Continue reading
Incremental Housing – The new site & services
The rapid urban population surge of the 60s driven largely from migration with resultant massive unauthorized city expansion provided challenges in finding effective housing interventions. Upgrading programs became widespread despite … Continue reading
Informal Economy Monitoring Study
The Informal Economy Monitoring Study (IEMS) is a major study of the urban informal economy being undertaken in 10 cities around the world: Accra, Ghana; Ahmedabad, India; Bangkok, Thailand; Belo … Continue reading
Urbanisation concepts and trends
McGranahan and Satterthwaite – There is an emerging consensus that urbanisation is critically important to international development, but considerable confusion over what urbanisation actually is; whether it is accelerating or slowing; … Continue reading
Reimagining the World-Class City
Skyscrapers and shanties, gleaming malls and run-down markets, palatial houses and the piss-poor guys who build them: those are the divides in cities like Mumbai, Nairobi and Manila. Rich and … Continue reading
Urbanism of Democracy
Aseem Inam: How does one represent and symbolize the urbanism of democracy? I have long been interested in this question. My research on Town Hall at Säynätsalo by Alvar Aalto, … Continue reading
Understanding ‘Urban Youth’ and the Challenges they face in Sub-Saharan Africa
Much of Africa is urbanising fast and its young population is projected to constitute the largest labour force in the world. While urbanisation can be linked closely with economic development, … Continue reading
What Can a ‘Science of Cities’ Offer Planners?
Michael Mehaffy – Like doctors who understand and support the body’s own immune system function, we can begin to understand and support the vernacular processes that are already occurring—and have … Continue reading
Reading Development 