Open AccessBOOK REVIEW: Governing Cities in a Global Era: Urban Innovation, Competition and Democratic Reform (edited by Robin Hambleton and Jill Simone Gross)
Author(s) -
Peter McKinlay
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
commonwealth journal of local governance
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 1836-0394
DOI - 10.5130/cjlg.v0i2.1001
Subject(s) - context (archaeology) , democracy , competition (biology) , corporate governance , political science , globalization , argument (complex analysis) , urbanization , government (linguistics) , global governance , political economy , sociology , public administration , economics , economic growth , politics , management , geography , law , ecology , biochemistry , chemistry , linguistics , philosophy , archaeology , biology
Robin Hambleton and Jill Simone Gross have assembled a collection of papers which powerfully supports their argument that “those concerned with the future of cities, whether as academics or practitioners, should devote more time to instrumental learning from abroad.” Contributions range widely from the influence of globalisation and urbanisation, to the importance of understanding the unique impact of our own context; from innovation in the leading ‘world cities’ of the developed world, to the seemingly intractable problems of cities in the developing world; from celebrating the importance of a shift from government to governance, to contributions highlighting the potential of governance to undermine local democracy; and from the role of leadership to the dangers of persistent managerialism