How Cities Learn

How Cities Learn traces the circulation of bus rapid transit (BRT) to understand how and why it was widely adopted in South Africa. Investigates the global proliferation and localization of BRT Examines the production and distribution of transportation knowledge in the global south Addresses the spatial and social legacy of apartheid in South African cities Reveals a new way of understanding the intersections between policy, people and place Essential reading for scholars of geography, politics, sociology and transportation, as well as urban planners and practitioners

The promise of competitiveness and economic growth in so-called smart cities is widely advertised in Europe and the US. The promise is focussed on global talent and knowledge economies and not on learning and innovation. But to really achieve smart cities – that is to create the conditions of continuous learning and innovation – this book argues that there is a need to understand what is below the surface and to examine the mechanisms which affect the way cities learn and then connect together. This book draws on quantitative and qualitative data with concrete case studies to show how networks already operating in cities are used to foster and strengthen connections in order to achieve breakthroughs in learning and innovation. Going beyond smart cities means understanding how cities construct, convert and manipulate relationships that grow in urban environments. Cities discussed in this book – Amman, Barcelona, Bilbao, Charlotte,Curitiba, Juarez, Portland, Seattle and Turin – illuminate a blind spot in the literature. Each of these cities has achieved important transformations, and learning has played a key role, one that has been largely ignored in academic circles and practice concerning competitiveness and innovation.

How Cities Learn traces the circulation of bus rapid transit (BRT) to understand how and why it was widely adopted in South Africa. Investigates the global proliferation and localization of BRT Examines the production and distribution of transportation knowledge in the global south Addresses the spatial and social legacy of apartheid in South African cities Reveals a new way of understanding the intersections between policy, people and place Essential reading for scholars of geography, politics, sociology and transportation, as well as urban planners and practitioners

This book is an interdisciplinary text exploring the learning and educative potentials of cities and their spaces, including urban and suburban contexts, at all stages of life. Drawing on the insights of researchers from diverse fields, such as education, architecture, history, visual sociology, applied linguistics and sensory studies, this collection of papers develops and demonstrates the connection between experience, in all its dimensions, and informal learning in the city. The chapters discuss various sensory domains of experience, considering visual, embodied, and even sexual dimensions in relation to what and how learning operates, and the contributors reflect on their learning and inquiring experiences in the city, with special reference to topics such as narrativity, ‘race’ and ethnicity, equity, urban literacy, re-generation, participation, representation and oral histories.

This book explores a cultural understanding of cities and processes of civic learning by scrutinizing urban educational topics from a cultural studies perspective. This book approaches the city as a cultural fabric that consists of social, material and symbolic dimensions, and describes how civic learning is not an accidental outcome of cities but an essential component through which citizens coproduce the city. Through a combination of theoretical development and methodological reflection the chapters in the book explore three interrelated questions addressing the relationships between culture, learning and the city: How does civic learning appear in urban spaces? How does civic learning take place through urban spaces? How are urban spaces created as a result of civic learning?

This book presents outstanding examples of cities, where effective civic action has significantly enchanced the quality of life. It cites a massive building effort involving sports, recreation and health facilities in Indianapolis. St.Louis, which has long been in the "most distressed" lists, is battling back with strong economic and cultural planning for its mid-town area that integrates landscaping, design quality, arts programmining and preservation of historic sites. What these stories and others demonstrate is that a well-conceived and well-executed amenities development program can enhance a city's livability--that a city's quality of life is not simply a product of fate. ISBN 0-87491-828-6 : $28.50 (For use only in the library).

A new 21st century urban phenomenon is emerging: the networked polycentric mega-city region. Developed around one or more cities of global status, it is characterized by a cluster of cities and towns, physically separate but intensively networked in a complex spatial division of labour. This book describes and analyses eight such regions in North West Europe. For the first time, this work shows how businesses interrelate and communicate in geographical space - within each region, between them, and with the wider world. It goes on to demonstrate the profound consequences for spatial planning and regional development in Europe - and, by implication, other similar urban regions of the world. The Polycentric Metropolis introduces the concept of a mega-city region, analyses its characteristics, examines the issues surrounding regional identities, and discusses policy ramifications and outcomes for infrastructure, transport systems and regulation. Packed with high quality maps, case study data and written in a clear style by highly experienced authors, this will be an insightful and significant analysis suitable for professionals in urban planning and policy, environmental consultancies, business and investment communities, technical libraries, and students in urban studies, geography, economics and town/spatial planning.