Urbanization: An Introduction to Urban Geography

Urbanization: An Introduction to Urban Geography, Third Edition captures the changes in the nature and outcomes of urbanization processes for people, as well as the development of new ways of thinking about urban geography. Unraveling the interlocking processes of urbanization, Knox and McCarthy present a vivid and meaningful explanation of constantly changing urban geographies and urban life. This framework supports the discussion of recent changes while addressing much of the “traditional” subject matter of urban geography. The book’s dynamic approach also allows for integration of both theories and facts, where key concepts and theories are presented in relation to prior events and ideas–providing a coherent and comprehensive introduction to urban geography that offers a historical and process-oriented approach. With a U.S. focus that also offers global context and comparative international perspectives, the authors examine urban trends and their outcomes in both developed and less-developed countries to understand, analyze, and interpret the landscapes, economies, and communities of towns and cities around the world.

PAUL KNOX received his Ph.D. in Geography from the University of Sheffield, England. After teaching in the United Kingdom for several years, he moved to the United States to take a position as professor of urban affairs and planning at Virginia Tech. His teaching centers on urban and regional development, with an emphasis on comparative study. He serves on the editorial board of several scientific journals and is the author or co-author of numerous books, including Small Town Sustainability (Birkhauser), Metroburbia USA (Rutgers University Press), Cities and Design (Routledge), and The Geography of the World Economy (Hodder) as well as Pearson’s Urbanization, Third Edition and World Regions in Global Context, Fourth Edition. In 2008 he received the Distinguished Scholarship Award from the Association of American Geographers. He is currently a University Distinguished Professor at Virginia Tech, where he also serves as Senior Fellow for International Advancement.

LINDA MCCARTHY received her Ph.D. in Geography from the University of Minnesota, USA, and her B.A. from University College Dublin. She is an associate professor in the Department of Geography and the Urban Studies Program at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She is also a certified planner. Her teaching centers on cities and globalization. Her research focuses on urban and regional economic development and planning in the United States, Europe, and China. Her recent academic journal articles have been on regional cooperation instead of wasteful competition for corporate investment; government subsidies for automobile plants; environmental justice and brownfield redevelopment; and the globalization of the economy. Linda is the co-author of another book, The Geography of the World Economy (Hodder), with Paul Knox and John Agnew.