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Cover

Global Cities

Mark Abrahamson

Publication Date - 12 February 2004

ISBN: 9780195142044

192 pages
Paperback
6-1/8 x 9-1/4 inches

Description

Global Cities examines the distinctive commercial, residential, and spatial features of the major cities of the contemporary world--cities housing the financial and cultural activities that are most consequential for everyone, regardless of where they live. The development of these influential cities is intimately related to the emergence of modern telecommunications, the growth of multinational corporations, the internationalization of economic activity, and the increased movement of cultural symbols and artifacts across national lines.
Accessible to readers with little background in sociology or social science, Global Cities analyzes numerous contemporary issues to illustrate concepts and processes pertaining to the most significant global cities. These concrete examples facilitate students' general understanding and show them the contemporary relevance of the material. The book offers a detailed and multifaceted picture of such leading urban centers as London, New York, Tokyo, and Paris, but also branches out to other important cities in the world. It analyzes both the internal features of the cities and the nature of their connections with each other. Global Cities is ideal for undergraduate courses in urban sociology and other social sciences.

Table of Contents

    Each chapter concludes with Endnotes
    1. Introduction, Background, and Preview
    Identifying global cities
    The economic and cultural background
    Cities and regions
    Appendix: The virtual workplace
    2. People, Places, and Life-Styles
    The financial services sector
    Power and oppositions
    Yuppies and dinks in gentrified areas
    International tourists and tourism
    Tourism and hyper-consumption
    Edge cities
    3. Immigration
    Hostility and dependence
    The immigrants
    Illegal entrants
    Enclaves
    Citizenship and the nation-state
    4. Cities in the Global Economy
    Global classifications
    Location of stock exchanges
    International banking and finance
    Multinational corporations and foreign investment
    Corporate service firms
    The economic hierarchy
    Post-script: Separating products and places
    5. Inequality
    Measuring income inequality
    Inequality in global cities
    Spatial reflections
    Global inequality
    Inequality conclusions
    Appendix: The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund
    6. Global Culture and the Cultural Industries
    Globalization, culture, and identity
    Rootlessness versus multiple identities
    Cultural industries and economy
    Entertainment conglomerates
    Concluding generalizations
    7. The Global Cultural Industries Hierarchy
    Recorded music
    Movies
    Television
    The cultural industries hierarchy
    8. Some Final Thoughts
    Designating global cities
    Cities and nation-states

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