Exploring the importance of megacities and megacity-regions as one of the defining features of the 21st century, this Handbook provides a clear and comprehensive overview of current thinking and debates from leading scholars in the field. Highlighting major current challenges and dimensions of megaurbanization, chapters form a thematic focus on governance, planning, history, and environmental and social issues, supported by case studies from every continent.

Analysing vital questions for contemporary urban research, this Handbook looks at: what place megacities and megacity-regions occupy in a world of cities; how they interrogate current thinking about urban society, theory, and policy; and what role these largest of urban areas will play in shaping humanity's future. Key contributions reveal that research needs to further focus a critical and analytical lens on the particularities and distinctive issues associated with megaurbanization.

A timely and essential read for urban studies, urban geography, and public policy students, the interdisciplinary nature of this Handbook provides a thorough view into the features and importance of megacities and megacity-regions. Public policy-makers and planners will also benefit from the wide-ranging case studies included.

About the Author
Edited by Danielle Labbe, School of Urban Planning and Landscape Architecture, Universite de Montreal and Andre Sorensen, Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto, Canada

Reviews
'What remains to be said about cities when the planet is completely urbanized? This astonishing new Handbook seeks answers in the megacity-regions of the world, especially in the burgeoning urban constellations of eastern Asia. The book's diverse and topical chapters help planners and decision-makers, and ultimately inhabitants, to ''find their bearings'' in the unmoored vastness of a planet of megacities.'
--Roger Keil, York University, Canada

'The book fulfills a very timely mission: to reveal just how complex, varied, and multi-scaled the global urban reality has become - and is still becoming. The authors provide an antidote to simplifying notions about cities and megacities, updating our understanding of urban forces and dynamics, so that we might act upon them more effectively.'
--Jeb Brugmann, Founder, ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability, Germany and author, Welcome to the Urban Revolution

The Handbook of Megacities and Megacity-Regions provides a much needed assessment of 21st century urbanization, especially with its attention to the scale and density that characterizes todays cities. Its nuanced discussion of how to define megacities and megacity-regions is an important contribution to our understanding of one of the most critical megatrends of our times.'
--Eugenie L. Birch, University of Pennsylvania, US

Book Information
ISBN 9781035300235
Author Danielle Labbe
Format Paperback
Page Count 448
Imprint Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd
Publisher Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd