Shrinking Cities

Introduction

This book examines a rapidly emerging new topic in urban settlement patterns: the role of shrinking cities. Much coverage is given to declining fertility rates, ageing populations and economic restructuring as the factors behind shrinking cities, but there is also reference to resource depletion, the demise of single-company towns and the micro-location of environmental hazards.

Key Concepts

The contributions show that shrinkage can occur at any scale – from neighbourhood to macro-region - and they consider whether shrinkage of metropolitan areas as a whole may be a future trend. Also addressed in this volume is the question of whether urban shrinkage policies are necessary or effective.

Book Structure

The book comprises four parts:

Part 1: World or regional issues

with reference to the European Union and Latin America.

Part 2: National case studies

the United States, India, China, Korea, Taiwan, Germany, Romania and Estonia.

Part 3: City case studies

Detroit, Buffalo, Cleveland, Naples, Belfast and Halle.

Part 4: Broad issues

such as the environmental consequences of shrinking cities.

Audience

This book will be of interest to scholars and practitioners working in the fields of urban studies, economic geography and public policy.