“industrial revolution” was not introduced until some 75 years after the industrial
system that transformed England began to develop momentum. In a similar manner,
we are struggling to formulate concepts that can explain the developments of the
twenty-first century. It is crucial that new intellectual ideas be formulated to capture
this new reality. An example of this kind of rapid response is the term “casino
capitalism” that was coined to describe the behavior of some financial institutions in
the financial collapse of 2008. The RIHN project on Mega Cities that has generated
the raison d’être for this symposium has generated a number of research projects
focused on the Jakarta megacity (the second largest megacity in the world in 2010),
showing that peoples’ actions are crucial to the solving the challenges of twenty-first
century urbanization (McGee 2011). Their conclusions sharpen the understanding of
the dilemma posed by the contrasting visions of “economic growth at all costs” and
“adaptation for sustainability” that is at the core of developing a globally responsible
form of urbanization. Once this understanding about the role of people in leading
sustainable change will have become part of all nations’ common global language,
we can create urban sustainability policies that can enable more responsible and
effective responses to the challenges that impede a more sustainable and resilient
urban future.
References
Angel, S. (2011). Making room for a planet of cities. Policy focus report. Cambridge, MA: Lincoln
Institute of Land Policy.
Angel, S., Sheppard, S. C., & Civco, D. L. (2005). The dynamics of global urban expansion.
Washington, D.C.: Transport and Urban Development Department, World Bank.
Assadourian, E. (2010). The rise and fall of consumer cultures. From consumerism to sustainability.
In World Watch Institute, State of the world. 2010. Transforming cultures. From consumerism
to sustainability. Washington: World Watch Institute.
Bicknell, J., Dodman, D., & Satterwaite, D. (Eds.). (2009). Adapting cities to climate change:
Understanding and addressing the development challenges. London: Earthscan Publications.
Brenner, N. (1999). Globalisation as reterritorialisation: The re-scaling of urban governance in the
European Union. Urban Studies, 36(3), 431–451.
Brenner, N. (2004). New state spaces: Urban governance and the rescaling of statehood. Oxford:
Oxford University Press.
Brenner, N. (2006). Global cities, ‘Glocal’ states: Global city formation and state territorial
restructuring in contemporary Europe. In N. Brenner & R. Keil (Eds.), The global cities reader.
New York: Routledge.
Brinkhof, T. (2010). City population. Statistics of the major cities and agglomerations in the World
and Administrative Divisions in the world. Retrieved January 6, 2010, from www.
citypopulation.de.
Castells, M. (1996). The information age: Economy, society and culture (The rise of the network
society) (Vol. I). Oxford: Blackwell Publishers.
Chassigneuz, E. (1912) L’ Irrigation dans le delta du Tonkin. Revue de Géogaphie annuelle. Tome
IV, fascicule.
De Gregorio, M. (1994). Urban harvest: Recycling as a peasant industry in Northern Vietnam.
Honolulu: East West Center.
30
T. G. McGee and K. Mori
system that transformed England began to develop momentum. In a similar manner,
we are struggling to formulate concepts that can explain the developments of the
twenty-first century. It is crucial that new intellectual ideas be formulated to capture
this new reality. An example of this kind of rapid response is the term “casino
capitalism” that was coined to describe the behavior of some financial institutions in
the financial collapse of 2008. The RIHN project on Mega Cities that has generated
the raison d’être for this symposium has generated a number of research projects
focused on the Jakarta megacity (the second largest megacity in the world in 2010),
showing that peoples’ actions are crucial to the solving the challenges of twenty-first
century urbanization (McGee 2011). Their conclusions sharpen the understanding of
the dilemma posed by the contrasting visions of “economic growth at all costs” and
“adaptation for sustainability” that is at the core of developing a globally responsible
form of urbanization. Once this understanding about the role of people in leading
sustainable change will have become part of all nations’ common global language,
we can create urban sustainability policies that can enable more responsible and
effective responses to the challenges that impede a more sustainable and resilient
urban future.
References
Angel, S. (2011). Making room for a planet of cities. Policy focus report. Cambridge, MA: Lincoln
Institute of Land Policy.
Angel, S., Sheppard, S. C., & Civco, D. L. (2005). The dynamics of global urban expansion.
Washington, D.C.: Transport and Urban Development Department, World Bank.
Assadourian, E. (2010). The rise and fall of consumer cultures. From consumerism to sustainability.
In World Watch Institute, State of the world. 2010. Transforming cultures. From consumerism
to sustainability. Washington: World Watch Institute.
Bicknell, J., Dodman, D., & Satterwaite, D. (Eds.). (2009). Adapting cities to climate change:
Understanding and addressing the development challenges. London: Earthscan Publications.
Brenner, N. (1999). Globalisation as reterritorialisation: The re-scaling of urban governance in the
European Union. Urban Studies, 36(3), 431–451.
Brenner, N. (2004). New state spaces: Urban governance and the rescaling of statehood. Oxford:
Oxford University Press.
Brenner, N. (2006). Global cities, ‘Glocal’ states: Global city formation and state territorial
restructuring in contemporary Europe. In N. Brenner & R. Keil (Eds.), The global cities reader.
New York: Routledge.
Brinkhof, T. (2010). City population. Statistics of the major cities and agglomerations in the World
and Administrative Divisions in the world. Retrieved January 6, 2010, from www.
citypopulation.de.
Castells, M. (1996). The information age: Economy, society and culture (The rise of the network
society) (Vol. I). Oxford: Blackwell Publishers.
Chassigneuz, E. (1912) L’ Irrigation dans le delta du Tonkin. Revue de Géogaphie annuelle. Tome
IV, fascicule.
De Gregorio, M. (1994). Urban harvest: Recycling as a peasant industry in Northern Vietnam.
Honolulu: East West Center.
30
T. G. McGee and K. Mori