Cities in contemporary Africa
By: edited by Martin J. Murray and Garth A. Myers.
Contributors: Murray, Martin J.; Myers, Garth Andrew.
Edition: 1st ed.
Publisher: Palgrave Macmillian
Published: 2007
Place of publication: New York
Language: eng
Number of pages: 318
ISBN-13: 9781403970350
Subjects: Cities and towns -- Africa; City and town life -- Africa; Urban policy -- Africa; City planning -- Africa; Urbanization -- Africa; Africa -- Social conditions -- 1960-; Africa -- Economic conditions -- 1960-; Africa -- Geography; Africa -- History, Local
Description: This book offers a broad range of scholarly interpretations of the evolving forms, the changing dynamics, and the unexpected surprises that characterize contemporary African cities. It wrestles with important questions concerning how large numbers of people without regular work nevertheless find ways to survive and even prosper. It balances investigations of particular cities in sub-Saharan Africa with considerations of a diversity of topics, themes and multi-city comparisons, including themes in: culture, imagination, place and space; political economy and work livelihoods; and urban planning and governance. The collection is both theoretically informed and empirically grounded. Aimed at mid-level undergraduate students, these essays, taken as a whole, provide an understanding of what is happening in African cities today, and why.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references and index.