In this brilliant and original study of the politics and meanings of urban landscapes, leading sociologist Göran Therborn takes us on a tour of the world’s most important capital cities, showing how they have been shaped by national, popular and global forces. He examines global moments of city formation, historical globalised nationalisms and the cities of contemporary global capitalism, with their skyscrapers, gated communities and ostentatious novelty.
With topics ranging from the evolution of modernist architecture to the return of urban revolutions, and combining considerations of politics, sociology, urban planning, architecture and urban iconography, Therborn challenges established notions about the sources, manifestations and scope of urban power. He argues that powerful ties remain between city and state precisely at the moment when they seem to have become separated, and that today’s globalisation of cities is driven in large part by the global aspirations of politicians and national and local capital. With a wealth of urban observations from every inhabited continent, a unique systematic approach that spans from Washington, DC, revolutionary Paris to Kazakhstan's glittering capital Astana, and a sharp, multifaceted analysis, Cities of Power challenges us to rethink our urban futures as well as our historically constituted present.
The book is intended for a wide range of readers.