Description
Book SynopsisAddressing the complex interrelationships between city making and the resources needed for its production,
Predatory Urbanism explores the link between urbanization and resources in the global South. It particularly focuses on urban megaprojects, highlighting these planned developments and re-developments carried out by the state or state-linked agencies.
Engaging with positivist rhetoric on climate change, this timely book investigates the dramatic transformation of rural and urban land in Asia, discussing the main ecological deficits affecting Asian cities. Chapters analyse some of the most paradigmatic megaprojects in the global South and their socio-environmental predatory characteristics. Through exposing the limitations of today’s predatory urbanism in the global South, the book argues for the importance of rethinking the resource-urbanization nexus towards socially and environmentally just urbanism.
An invigorating read for urban studies and planning scholars, this will particularly benefit those researching globalization in the global South. It will also aid urban planners reflecting on their practice and looking to improve developments in city making.
Trade Review‘A powerful reminder that many urban megaprojects exacerbate social and environmental issues that they pretend to solve or alleviate, inducing unnecessary resource consumption and stimulating segregated developments and displacements. The studies in the book make a powerful case for the need to critically reexamine the neo-liberal urban policies and agendas, suggesting a restraint in the usage of such played-out and abused concepts as smart-, eco-, intelligent and sustainable cities. This thought-provoking book not only presents a critique of the neo-liberal patterns of urban development, but also offers new insights on urban metabolism, the implications of “green planning”, the nature of “instant urbanism”, and the development of solidaristic communities.’Table of ContentsContents: Foreword Alessandro Melis PART I INTRODUCTION 1. Rapid urbanization and greenwashing in Asia PART II THE PROBLEMATIC METABOLISM OF MEGAPROJECTS 2. The rise of megaprojects in Asia 3. The sustainable development rhetoric in Asia 4. From resource consumption to urban metabolism PART III PREDATORY MEGAPROJECTS AND CONCLUSIONS 5. Two cases in Doha: The Pearl and Education City 6. The Straits Megacity Region 7. Mumbai and Bhendi Bazaar urban renewal proposal 8. Conclusion to Predatory Urbanism References Index
