About the Book

A MULTIDIMENSIONAL STUDY OF CITIES MEANT FOR A WIDE AUDIENCE, CITIES RETHOUGHT HAS RECEIVED MUCH PRAISE EVEN BEFORE ITS RELEASE.
In a world of disruptions and seemingly endless complexity, cities have become—perhaps more than ever—central to thinking about the future of humanity. Yet rarely has the study of cities been more fragmented among different silos of expertise, diverse genres of scholarship, and widening chasms between theory and practice. How can we do better?
Cities Rethought suggests that we need to remake the way we see and know cities in order to rethink how we act and intervene within them. To this end, it offers the contours of a new urban disposition. This disposition, articulated through its normative, analytical and operational elements, offers an opportunity for scholars, practitioners and citizens alike to approach the complexity of cities anew, and find ways to rethink both scholarly analyses as well as modes of practice.
Written collectively for a wide audience, the book draws from cities across the global north and south, speaks across diverse genres of ideas, and reflects on the lived experience of the authors as both researchers and practitioners. It is an essential read for anyone committed to knowing their own cities as well as finding ways to meaningfully intervene in them.

About the Authors

Gautam Bhan is Associate Dean of the School of Human Development at the Indian Institute for Human Settlements.
Michael Keith is Professor and Director of PEAK Urban at the University of Oxford.
Susan Parnell is Chair in Human Geography at the University of Bristol.
Edgar Pieterse is DST/NRF South African Chair in Urban Policy and Director of the African Centre for Cities at the University of Cape Town.