Description
Book SynopsisWhy do some cities grow economically while others decline? Why do some show sustained economic performance while others cycle up and down? In Keys to the City, Michael Storper, one of the world's leading economic geographers, looks at why we should consider economic development issues within a regional context--at the level of the city-region--and
Trade Review"[T]his work makes rich use of the literature and offers a strong point of view that distinguishes among opposing theories and seemingly irreconcilable research. This is an intelligent, important book."--Choice "[A]ll readers will find the book fascinating in its breadth and its ambition to popularize important questions about urban development."--Yannis M. Ioannides, Journal of Economic Literature "The first thing to say is that this is a superb book. Breathtaking in scope, specific in detail, provocative in argument, wide ranging in evidence gathering, and built on a carefully crafted logic."--Philip McCann, Journal of Regional Science "Keys to the City is an output that does justice to the amassed wisdom of a lively and well respected economic geographer who moves past disciplinary parochialism. The book does not shy away from complexity and covers a wide terrain, while expression is clear and considered throughout."--David Waite, Urban Studies "Though he writes as an economic geographer, his answers cover a wide variety of academic disciplines, ranging across geography, economics, political science, and sociology. It is a demanding book. But it is also a book that anyone who is seriously interested in cities and regions must read."--Anthony M. Orum, American Journal of Sociology "A worthwhile contribution to a number of different debates related to urban development, and is a one that scholars of urban politics should find very useful."--Neil Kraus, Perspectives on Politics
Table of ContentsAcknowledgments ix 1.Introduction. Cities and Regions in the Twenty-First Century: Why Do They Develop and Change? 1 PART I THE ECONOMIC CONTEXT OF CITY AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT 2.Workshops of the World Economy: People, Jobs, and Places 14 3.The Motor of Urban Economies: Specialization 32 4.Disruptive Innovation: Geography and Economics 52 5.Cities and Individuals: How We Shape Cities, But Not the Way We Want To 67 PART II THE INSTITUTIONAL CONTEXT OF CITIES AND REGIONS 6.Winner and Loser Regions: The "Where" of Development 92 7.Communities and the Economy 104 8.Robust Action: Society, Community, and Development 115 PART III SOCIAL INTERACTION AND URBAN ECONOMIES 9.Technology, Globalization, and Local Interaction 140 10.Local Context: The Genius of Cities 156 11.Face-to-Face Contact 167 PART IV THE POLITICAL CONTEXT OF CITY AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT 12.Exit or Voice? Politics, Societies, and City-Systems 184 13.Justice, Efficiency, and Cities: Should Regions Help One Another? 204 Conclusion. Dear Policymaker: Some Keys for You 224 Notes 229 References 239 Index 267
