Globalization and Urban Change

Kris Olds provides a grounded analysis of globalization and urban change in the late twentieth century. Based on field work carried out in Vancouver, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Paris, and London, the author highlights the role of two transnational cultures - ethnic Chinese property developers and 'brand name' arthitects - in the planning and development of urban mega-projects. Case studies from Vancouver and Shanghai are used to analyse the nature of the transnational practices and networks that facilitate the production of new urban spaces on the Pacific Rim. This reflexive, situated, and interdisciplinary account offers an alternative perspective to the abstract and economistic analyses that dominate our understanding of globalization and urban change.