Controlling the Capital
Political Dominance in the Urbanizing World
Tom Goodfellow editor David Jackman editor
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Oxford University Press
Published:28th Sep '23
Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back
This insightful book examines the complex dynamics between urbanization and authoritarianism in capital cities, offering valuable case studies and analysis.
In Controlling the Capital, the author presents a comprehensive cross-regional comparative study that delves into the intricate relationship between capital cities, urbanization, and the rise of authoritarianism. This exploration is rooted in six diverse case studies from Africa and Asia, examining how authoritarian regimes have sought to establish and maintain long-term dominance in urban settings. The book highlights the significant role that capital cities play as both centers of power and sites of political contestation, challenging the notion that urban areas are inherently conducive to democratic development.
The narrative unfolds against the backdrop of a global trend where authoritarianism is on the rise, with a marked increase in countries experiencing democratic decline. This phenomenon coincides with unprecedented urbanization, prompting critical questions about the function of cities in this authoritarian shift. Unlike traditional literature that often focuses on national dynamics, Controlling the Capital shifts the lens to capital cities, which serve as crucial arenas for the exercise of power and the suppression of dissent.
Through its detailed case studies of cities such as Addis Ababa, Colombo, Dhaka, Harare, Kampala, and Lusaka, the book provides insight into the varying strategies employed by regimes to either consolidate their power or face potential challenges from urban opposition. By addressing themes of political dominance, urban resistance, and the prospects for democracy, Controlling the Capital makes a significant contribution to the ongoing discourse surrounding authoritarianism and urbanization.
Cities have long been viewed as a problem for authoritarian regimes. This fascinating edited volume provides a picture of the strategies used by authoritarian regimes to alternately woo and repress potentially restive urban populations. Goodfellow and Jackman lay out in a clear and cogent way how coercive and more positive 'generative' strategies coexist in urban settings, yielding more or less stable patterns of government control. This is an important book not just for urban scholars but for those more broadly interested in democratization and authoritarian durability. * Professor Adrienne LeBas, Department of Government, American University, Washington D. C. *
The capital city has always been the foremost site of protracted struggles over power, prosperity, and livelihoods. This empirically rich and theoretically rigorous collection aptly positions the analytical lens on the capital to shed light on the contours of power contestations, compromises, and ultimately the political economy of change and transformation in Africa and South Asia. Timely and a vital contribution. * Moses Khisa, Associate Professor of Political Science and Africana Studies, North Carolina State University *
The battle for political control over capital cities is critical to the efforts of governments to contain the threat posed by dynamic opposition parties - and will only become more important as the continent becomes evermore urbanized. This is the best book yet on the subject, offering powerful insights into a wide range of important cases. * Professor Nic Cheeseman, Director of the Centre for Elections, Democracy, Accountability and Representation (CEDAR), University of Birmingham *
A timely book to understand processes of urban control in the rapidly urbanizing developing world. Taking six capital cities as key spaces of political action, the book provides a trenchant analysis of how authoritarian regimes enmesh urban citizens, repress/prevent dissent among others by co-opting key actors and sections of society, to ensure political domination and authoritarian durability. * Professor Fana Gebresenbet, Director of the Institute for Peace and Security Studies, Addis Ababa University *
ISBN: 9780192868329
Dimensions: 240mm x 162mm x 22mm
Weight: 594g
288 pages