World Cities and Global Change: Observations on Monumentality in Urban Design

A prominent urban geographer presents a sweeping review essay on monumentality in the urban design of world cities. After outlining a number of the large, grand urban plans and projects of the past and present, he focuses on the four components of monumental urban design: comprehensive conceptions of legible urban form; iconic buildings; integrated urban transportation hubs; and planned downtown and midtown redevelopment projects. Concentrating on the trends prevailing at present and over the near future, the author notes factors that may exert a special impact on emerging world cities in Russia and China and argues for the importance of process in the geography of monumentality. Journal of Economic Literature, Classification Numbers: O18, R51, R53. 14 figures, 37 references.     

1929-1933年大萧条与伦敦世界经济会议

1929—1933年大萧条,摧毁了一战后重建的世界经济格局。国际联盟为缓解危机而召开的伦敦世界经济会议,则成为新旧世界经济体系的转折点。英国企图借助美国的金融实力,恢复由其主导的世界经济传统秩序;美国则希望终结以英国为核心的世界经济传统秩序,倡建全球经济新秩序。伦敦世界经济会议最终未就任何实质性问题达成协议。会议之所以失败,是因为英法与美国在如何协作对付危机的问题上思路迥异,而会议的失败则为美国以后构建由其主导下的世界贸易金融合作机制奠定了基础。     

Global Metropolitan-Regional Scale in Evolution: Metropolitan Intermediary Cities and Metropolitan Cities

The case of Madrid is used as empirical focus to propose a new classification of the metropolitan region urban medium-sized or secondary city system. Based on a methodology that integrates the morphological (size, location and socioeconomic history) and the functional dimensions (centrality index, advanced producer services (APS) concentration and commuting), the article compares new employment centres—cities with metropolitan origin—and historical cities—previously free standing cities, progressively integrated in metropolitan processes. The results show a distinction between (1) metropolitan cities, with a traditional intermediation role, and (2) metropolitan intermediary cities, that include an additional quality to their traditional intermediation role, that of concentrating APS. The article confirms that some medium-sized cities—metropolitan intermediary cities—linked to different origins and up to 100?km away from the metropolis are more visible in the global scene and are establishing an emerging global multicore-network at a metropolitan-regional scale.     

A New Approach to Analyzing Historical Urban Growth of Ottoman Cities: Manisa Case Study

Abstract

The physical growth of cities is usually used to define the main direction of a city's development. This definition is key to understanding the city's current state and to plan for the future. Many urban planners agree that master plans should include historical urban growth and aim to specify the effective factors driving urban growth. However, defining urban boundaries and historical urban areas is a difficult task. The lack of satellite images, air photos, and real maps to use as base maps for historical urban studies is a problem that a researcher may face when determining patterns of urban development or conducting other analyses. In this article, the authors examine historical changes of the urban boundaries of the Ottoman city of Manisa. They analyze the physical growth of this large city by using the historical buildings (mosques, masjids, madrasas, baths, caravansary, and others) as markers.     

布罗代尔的“经济世界”与沃勒斯坦的“世界经济”

法国史家布罗代尔在《菲利普二世时代的地中海与地中海世界》一书中阐明了"经济世界"概念的内涵和外延,它们对世界经济体系理论产生了重要影响。美国史家沃勒斯坦则在其"世界经济"理论中重点揭示了世界经济与资本主义的相伴相生关系。本文认为,两位学者的论说在观念上的差异体现在一与多之争,以及看待市场、国家与资本主义的关系等问题的分歧上,同时指出,历史比较研究不仅对于理解世界历史进程有着重要的意义,还有利于深入理解当代全球化中民族经济的作用。     

The Economic Performance of European Cities and City Regions: Myths and Realities

The ever-increasing concentration of people and economic growth in the largest cities relative to the rest of the country has slowed down or even reversed in many of the developed European countries over the last decade. This trend contradicts what the global cities, urban economics and new economic geography literature would predict. This trend can be interpreted from two points of view: (1) the trend is due to large obstacles to further large city urbanization and thus is inefficient or (2) this trend highlights alternative pathways to growth than the mega-city approach and may be as, if not more, efficient. This trend may be linked to Europe's uniquely polycentric urban structure with high number of small- and medium-sized cities. In addition, improvements in the access to services, including broadband, outside large cities may have facilitated the higher growth rates of smaller centres and rural regions and increased their appeal for residents and firms. Last but not least, negative externalities in the large cities, such as congestion costs, pollution, labour crowding and high cost of living, may increase the appeal of smaller centres and rural regions.