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The Crisis of Democracy in the Age of Cities
Providing a succinct overview of historical, present and future perspectives of cities and urbanism, this discerning book examines how the 21st century, regarded as the age of cities, is associated with the current crisis of democracy.
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Critical Acclaim
Contributors
Contents
More Information
Providing a succinct overview of historical, present and future perspectives of cities and urbanism, this discerning book examines how the 21st century, regarded as the age of cities, is associated with the current crisis of democracy.
The book explores the tension between non-democratic liberalism and non-liberal democracy and the present era of cities as complex systems, in which the characteristics and dynamics of urbanism are transforming our way of life. Against the backdrop of globalization, the Anthropocene, and Industry 4.0, each chapter analyses the challenges and crises facing modern democracies from the unique perspective of cities and complexity theory. Expert contributors analyse the interplay between complexity theory, urban planning, governance and the internet, ultimately highlighting the need to rediscover the relationship between urban beauty and democracy.
Offering key insights into the complexities of urban development and the challenges that arise when democracy intersects with the needs of modern cities, this innovative book will appeal to students and scholars of urban geography, political science, public administration, and architecture. It will be an invaluable resource for those researching cities and complexity.
The book explores the tension between non-democratic liberalism and non-liberal democracy and the present era of cities as complex systems, in which the characteristics and dynamics of urbanism are transforming our way of life. Against the backdrop of globalization, the Anthropocene, and Industry 4.0, each chapter analyses the challenges and crises facing modern democracies from the unique perspective of cities and complexity theory. Expert contributors analyse the interplay between complexity theory, urban planning, governance and the internet, ultimately highlighting the need to rediscover the relationship between urban beauty and democracy.
Offering key insights into the complexities of urban development and the challenges that arise when democracy intersects with the needs of modern cities, this innovative book will appeal to students and scholars of urban geography, political science, public administration, and architecture. It will be an invaluable resource for those researching cities and complexity.
Critical Acclaim
‘Juval Portugali''s The Crisis of Democracy in the Age of Cities offers a compelling analysis of the challenges facing democratic governance in complex hybrid systems. This edited volume provides a thought-provoking exploration of the intersections between urbanization and democratic politics, shedding light on the key issues confronting our societies today.’
– Alan Penn, Professor of Architectural and Urban Computing, University College London, UK
– Alan Penn, Professor of Architectural and Urban Computing, University College London, UK
Contributors
Contributors include: Hans Agné, Michael Batty, Luis Bettencourt, Charlie Catlett, Stefano Cozzolino, Gert de Roo, Hermann Haken, J.A. Scott Kelso, Sabine Knierbein, Ashwin Mahalingam, Irad Malkin, Juval Portugali, Venkat Venkatakrishnan, Karoline Wiesner
Contents
Contents:
Introduction x
PART I PRESENT, PAST AND FUTURE PERSPECTIVES
1 The crisis of democracy in the age of cities and complexity 2
Juval Portugali
2 The ancient Greek lottery and modern democracies 24
Irad Malkin
3 The end of empire and the age of cities 31
Michael Batty
PART II COMPLEXITY THEORY, CITIES AND DEMOCRACY
4 Learning from small urban nations – the importance of
randomness and feedback for democratic stability 51
Karoline Wiesner
5 Perfection, does it lean toward balance or perversion? How
democracy and the urban grid inform about the human condition 68
Gert De Roo
6 A synergetic cities view on the crisis of democracy in the age
of cities 108
Juval Portugali and Hermann Haken
7 Democracy demands wisdom 136
J.A. Scott Kelso
PART III THE INTERNET, SMART CITIES AND DEMOCRACY
8 Why the internet must become more like a city 148
Luís M. A. Bettencourt
9 Privacy and trust in artificially intelligent cities 167
Charlie Catlett, Juval Portugali and Venkat Venkatakrishnan
PARTIV URBAN GOVERNANCE AND PLANNING
10 Cities under pressure – urban democracy and everyday life 185
Sabine Knierbein
11 Governing cities democratically through partnerships 204
Ashwin Mahalingam and Juval Portugali
12 A crisis of lost values: rediscovering the relationship between urban beauty, democracy and complexity 220
Stefano Cozzolino
13 Democracy beyond the state in the age of cities: explaining crisis dynamics in national democracy 246
Hans Agné
Index 267
Introduction x
PART I PRESENT, PAST AND FUTURE PERSPECTIVES
1 The crisis of democracy in the age of cities and complexity 2
Juval Portugali
2 The ancient Greek lottery and modern democracies 24
Irad Malkin
3 The end of empire and the age of cities 31
Michael Batty
PART II COMPLEXITY THEORY, CITIES AND DEMOCRACY
4 Learning from small urban nations – the importance of
randomness and feedback for democratic stability 51
Karoline Wiesner
5 Perfection, does it lean toward balance or perversion? How
democracy and the urban grid inform about the human condition 68
Gert De Roo
6 A synergetic cities view on the crisis of democracy in the age
of cities 108
Juval Portugali and Hermann Haken
7 Democracy demands wisdom 136
J.A. Scott Kelso
PART III THE INTERNET, SMART CITIES AND DEMOCRACY
8 Why the internet must become more like a city 148
Luís M. A. Bettencourt
9 Privacy and trust in artificially intelligent cities 167
Charlie Catlett, Juval Portugali and Venkat Venkatakrishnan
PARTIV URBAN GOVERNANCE AND PLANNING
10 Cities under pressure – urban democracy and everyday life 185
Sabine Knierbein
11 Governing cities democratically through partnerships 204
Ashwin Mahalingam and Juval Portugali
12 A crisis of lost values: rediscovering the relationship between urban beauty, democracy and complexity 220
Stefano Cozzolino
13 Democracy beyond the state in the age of cities: explaining crisis dynamics in national democracy 246
Hans Agné
Index 267
