Modern Cities

This book presents ten types of city that are the product of the modernisation of the world in the past two centuries. That modernisation has changed the economic, social and political context in which cities have developed, as well as the form and function of cities themselves. Of the ten city types detailed, some of them—like national capitals, resorts for pilgrims or gamblers or tourists, city states or cosmopolitan cities—are not entirely new kinds of city, since they existed in pre-modern times, but their modern forms exhibit novel characteristics. Others—like megacities of 10 million plus populations, boom towns, satellite cities, cities created by émigrés or refugees, cities under communist rule, and exploding cities of super rapid growth—are unique to modern times. Each type is described and analysed, and also exemplified in brief city profiles with photographs. All in all, over 50 cities in the modern world are featured here, including Astana, Mecca, Singapore, Buenos Aires, Shenzen, Bangalore, Milton Keynes, Salt Lake City, Magnitogorsk and Ulaanbaatar. These accounts draw on research, news reports, guidebooks, film and fiction and personal travels.