Cities for Human Development (Paperback)

Alexandre Apsan Frediani

ISBN 10: 1788531477 / ISBN 13: 9781788531474

Published by Practical Action Publishing, Rugby, 2021

About this Item

Paperback. For the last 30 years, the idea of cities as engines of growth has played a key role in capturing the imagination of decision-makers and encouraging public and private investments into cities. However, at the same time, the world has experienced the urbanisation of poverty and inequality. Urban development and planning practice focused on the ideal of enhancing GDP has not been able to address conditions of marginalisation and deprivation in cities. In fact, they have contributed to deepen urban social and spatial segregation.Drawing on the work of Amartya Sen and others from the field of human development and capability debate, this book aims to approach city-making from the lens of the capability approach. What if we understand cities not as engines of growth but of human development? What if we see cities not for what they are, but what they do to people and nature? Alexandre Frediani sets out a capability response that starts with condemning violations of human rights, recognising the collective agency of urban dwellers, and calling for public actions and interventions that address uneven distribution of opportunities and burdens, while promoting democratic processes to imagine and design the cities we value. Drawing on the work of Amartya Sen and others from the field of human development and capability debate, this book aims to approach city-making from the lens of the capability approach. What if we understand cities not as engines of growth but of human development? What if we see cities not for what they are, but what they do to people and nature? Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Seller Inventory # 9781788531474

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Cities for Human Development (Paperback)
• Publisher: Practical Action Publishing, Rugby
• Publication Date: 2021
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1788531477
• ISBN 13: 9781788531474
• Binding: Paperback
• Condition: new

About this title

Synopsis

For the last 30 years, the idea of ‘cities as engines of growth’ has played a key role in capturing the imagination of decision-makers and encouraging public and private investments into cities. However, at the same time, the world has experienced the urbanisation of poverty and inequality. Urban development and planning practice focused on the ideal of enhancing GDP has not been able to address conditions of marginalisation and deprivation in cities. In fact, they have contributed to deepen urban social and spatial segregation.

Drawing on the work of Amartya Sen and others from the field of human development and capability debate, this book aims to approach city-making from the lens of the capability approach. What if we understand cities not as engines of growth but of human development? What if we see cities not for what they are, but what they do to people and nature? Alexandre Frediani sets out a capability response that starts with condemning violations of human rights, recognising the collective agency of urban dwellers, and calling for public actions and interventions that address uneven distribution of opportunities and burdens, while promoting democratic processes to imagine and design the cities we value.

About the Author

Dr Alexandre Apsan Frediani specialises on issues around human development in cities of the global South. Alexandre’s work explores participatory approaches to planning and design of interventions in informal settlements in cities in Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa.