Shaping Cities and the Social Relationships Within Them

Abstract

Some cities are more compact, and others are more sprawled; some are more segregated by class or race, and others are more socially cohesive. The outcomes are always in part shaped by national policies. This chapter first explores the drivers of urban form and of social and economic relations in cities, beginning with public policies toward transit, car use, and the consumption of land. Then it turns to the role of downtowns in shaping cities. The greatest challenge remains the promotion of social cohesion and social peace in large, diverse urban regions, notably in ethnically and racially divided societies. Instituting appropriate models of metropolitan governance, ensuring the equitable provision of people services (such as education and health), and curbing exclusionary practices (NIMBYs) are core issues, which societies have approached differently. The success of Vienna, ranked the world’s most livable city, has its roots in a unique model of metropolitan governance and housing provision but one that is difficult to transpose to other national settings.