Overview

Offers a groundbreaking perspective on the future of urban studies Urbanism in the Digital Age provides an essential, paradigm-shifting framework for understanding contemporary urban life. Author Mark Gottdiener redefines the study of urbanism by shifting the focus from traditional city-centered models to the Multi-Centered Metropolitan Region (MCMR), a revolutionary approach that integrates regional dynamics, digital media, and socioeconomic structures. This book challenges long-standing theories, critiques dominant neoliberal policies, and provides innovative solutions to critical contemporary issues. Through an interdisciplinary synthesis of Lefebvrian and Castellsian perspectives, Gottdiener dissects the limitations of classical Marxist and city-centric urban theories while presenting new methodologies for analyzing spatial and social problems. Exploring the interplay between digital media, economic forces, and regional development, 14 in-depth chapters incorporate historical analysis, census data, and case studies to illustrate real-world applications. Presenting a bold new vision for addressing spatial inequalities, rethinking governance, and fostering sustainable urban transformation, Urbanism in the Digital Age: Critiques traditional city-centered urban studies and offers a unique and new perspective based on a regional, digital-age approach. Analyzes the impacts of digital media and neoliberal governance on spatial and social inequalities Examines pressing urban crises, such as affordable housing, transportation, racial segregation, climate change, homelessness, and the crisis effects of draconian Neoliberal policies. Proposes innovative policy solutions for urban planning, sustainability, and regional development Investigates the role of architecture, urban planning and thematic environments in shaping urban experiences and fighting climate change. Urbanism in the Digital Age is an indispensable resource for students and scholars in urban studies, sociology, geography, political science, architecture, and urban planning. It is an ideal textbook for undergraduate and graduate courses on urbanism, social problems, and public policy, and a must-read for policymakers and professionals engaged in urban development and regional planning.

Full Product Details

Author:   Mark Gottdiener (University of California, CA; CUNY; SUNY Buffalo, NY)
Publisher:   John Wiley & Sons Inc
Imprint:   Wiley-Blackwell
Dimensions:   Width: 15.00cm , Height: 1.50cm , Length: 22.10cm
Weight:   0.318kg
ISBN:  

9781394295623

ISBN 10:   1394295626
Pages:   240
Publication Date:   03 July 2025
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   Available To Order  
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Table of Contents

Table of Contents Chapter 1   What’s Wrong with this Picture? The Multi- Centered Metro Region is the New Spatial Form of Urbanism             Lefebvre Anticipates the MCMR             Castells Anticipates the Digital Age What Follows   Chapter 2   The City is Dead. Long Live the City The New Form of Urban Space Early Approaches to Regional Multi- Centered Growth:  Geddes and Gottmann Metropolitics: One story of attempted regional policy for the MCMR The Digital Age Chasing after the MCMR by the U.S. Census over Time Regional Studies as a better means of capturing Social Space Moving On   Chapter 3  Henri Lefebvre’s Urbanism:  Right and Wrong Lefebvre’s Urbanism Theory The Production of Space: Understanding Why Space is a Force of Production             The Stages of Society and Their Spatial formations             The Second Circuit of Capitalism             Capital Logic Theory and Reductionist Marxism             The difference in returns on land between the city and the MCMR The Current Crisis Chapter 4  How the Modernist City of Corporations Transformed into the MCMR Breaking the Ideological Bias Favoring the City The Modern City of Corporate Capitalism The Capitalism of Corporations and the Metropolitan City Form The Burgess Model and Post- War Suburbanization The Chicago School of Sociology The Limited Relevance of Urban Density Mass Suburbanization and the Birth of a Mass Consumer Society The Role of Racism in Mass Suburbanization Mass Suburbanization Leads to the Mass Consumer Society.             The Shift to the Sunbelt and the Dominance of the MCMR form The Scale Perspective   Chapter 5    How the MCMR Functions as the New Form of Urban Space Deconcentration and Reconcentration—The Dual Forces Creating the MCMR             Deconcentration             Reconcentration New Spaces of Consumption and Business Anchoring the MCMR             The Regional Mall             The Airport as a Growth Pole             Scientific, Industrial and Commercial Parks                         Science and High Tech Mini- Centers The Golden Age of Supermarkets, The Commercial Strip:  Mini- Centers Anchor MCMR Living Theming Sustains Business in the MCMR The MCMR and the Digital Media Revolution    Chapter 6 The Space of Flows--  Part One: Transportation Poor Public Transportation is a National Disgrace             The Unbelievable Story of Mass Transportation Destruction             Creating An Automobile Culture: Power not Preference Rules the Day Shameful Neglect of Our Historical Mass Transport Legacy Can We Rebalance our Auto/Mass Transit Society? The Mixed Case of Government Spending on Mass Transit             What we can learn from previous projects wasting money and time High Speed Transport as The New Hope   Chapter 7  The Space of Flows---  The Digital Age Digital Media and Everyday Life—Negotiating the MCMR Space Manuel Castells and the Network Society Critiques—Relevance to the MCMR Digital Technology and The Smart City             Transforming Settlement Space for Smartphone Applications             Equality Assessment for Digital Access             New Developments Advertising “Wired” Access- the “smart city”   Chapter 8   Affordable Housing and the MCMR The Affordable Housing Crisis  What is the Crisis About? What Are the Causes of Crisis?             Housing Speculation and the Truth inside Lefebvre’s Second Circuit             Covid and Inflation as Causes for Housing Crisis Some Solutions to the Affordable Housing Crisis             How the Federal Government Dealt with Housing in the Past- Bounty and Corruption Together How Tokyo Created Affordable Housing Some Creative Cases from the U.S.             Minneapolis Downzoning             Habitat For Humanity             Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU)   How European Cities Created Affordable Rental Housing   Chapter 9  The Unhoused Crisis: Shame of a Nation Falling Down the Rabbit Hole of Cruel and Unusual Eviction: Capitalism as Inhumane             Some Results From the Study             What About Desmond’s Proposed Solutions? Solutions to the Unhoused Crisis: Case Studies             UK: Monitoring is Right and Wrong             Finland: A Simple Plan             What Worked in Finland is Attacked in the U.S. Using the MCMR Expanse to Find Shelter for the Unhoused             Houston Case Study             Cincinnati Case Study The War Against the Unhoused             Cities Alone Cannot Bear the Burden   Chapter 10  Perpetual Problems:  Racism, Segregation, Their Effects and the MCMR solution White Racism is a Cultural Problem; Black Culture ChangesCan Help African American Segregation—the material sign of racism and poverty The Costs of Involuntary Segregation Measuring Segregation             The Taubers             Hypersegregation         Ghettoization             Massey and Denton’s Measure of Isolation The Barrio as Ghetto and Hispanic Segregation             Understanding the Barrio             Mexican American Urban Removal             The Crisis in Mexican American Education             The Useless Class and the White, Blue Collar Education Problem   Does MCMR Residency Have an Effect on Segregation?             Analytical Research of Data Says a Qualified “Yes” Table 1  Total Metropolitan Segregation and Isolation, Weighted Averages, 1980 to 2020  America’s MCMRs are on the frontline of racial and ethnic neighborhood change. White Racism and the Effect of Central City Gentrification Before and After Covid: Is Gentrification All Bad   Chapter 11  Urban Planning in the MCMR Regional Urban Planning vs. City Urban Planning: Understanding the Differences               Defining Regional Urban Planning              Defining City Urban Planning   The MCMR and Regional Planning              The Regional Planning Authority Dilemma Anti- Planning Ideologies              The ideology of Privatism               Exclusionary Zoning             The Ideology of NIMBY   How Local Political Control Undercuts Regional Planning              Planned Sprawl              Zoning and Its Discontents New Urbanism, Old Urbanism, City of the Future: Planning Strategies to Preserve Urban Life              New Urban Planning for Pedestrians but Not Local Shops   Chapter 12   Architecture and the MCMR-- The Crisis of Environmental Sustainability and Landmark Building Urban Heat Islands Environmental Solutions to Mini- Center Pollution Climate Change and the Need for Innovation The Important Role of Architecture for Sustainable Building              Sustainable Design and Passive Strategies              Green Roofs and Walls The Well Building Movement and the European Commissions New Bauhaus Architecture and the MCMR--  Signature Buildings as Landmarks Attracting Consumers to Locations in the MCMR—Themes and Landmarks             Signature Architecture  vs  Landmarks   Chapter 13   Public Policy and the MCMR: Political Fragmentation, Social Polarization, and Some Possible Solutions to Regional Governance The Government Eating Itself Fragmentation of Local Government             Hung Up by the Historical Artifact of Many Local Governments             The Lasting Effects of Covid on Regional Governance             Failing Infrastructure Cost Outstrips Local Government Resources Some Possible Solutions: Switching to a MCMR Perspective and Using Digital Technology The Need for Professional Local Managers The Mass Immigration Problem Requires a Regional Solution The State versus City Dilemma Paralyzing Policy Progress An MCMR Solution via “Multi- Stakeholder Collaboration”             MSI Morphs to Ethical Considerations   Chapter 14  Neoliberalism and its Failure to Contain Social Problems: The Current Crisis and the Need for Social Action and The Fallacy of the “Right to the City” The New Regime of Accumulation: Global Capitalism and Neoliberalism Post- 1975 Transformation—Direct Forms of Intervention for Capital Austerity Why Lefebvre remains Important Tax the Super Rich The Right to the City Fallacy and the Importance of Urban Social Movements Castells vs. Lefebvre

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MARK GOTTDIENER is Emeritus Professor of Sociology at the State University of New York at Buffalo and a pioneering urban theorist. He developed the socio-spatial perspective on urbanization and is the author of The Social Production of Urban Space and The New Urban Sociology. His influential research on theming, spatial analysis, and urban theory continues to influence urban studies worldwide.

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