Cities in a World Economy

by Saskia Sassen

Cities in a World Economy , Fifth Edition examines the emergence of global cities as a new social formation. As sites of rapid and widespread developments in the areas of finance, information and people, global cities lie at the core of the major processes of globalization. The book reflects the most current data available and explores recent debates such as the role of cities in mitigating environmental problems, the global refugee crisis, Brexit, and the rise of Donald Trump in the United States  

Genres: Economics, Cities, Sociology, Urban Studies, Nonfiction, Theory

440 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1994

About the author

Saskia Sassen (born in The Hague, January 5, 1949) is a Dutch sociologist noted for her analyses of globalization and international human migration. She is currently Robert S. Lynd Professor of Sociology at Columbia University and Centennial visiting Professor at the London School of Economics. Sassen coined the term global city.

After being a post-doctoral fellow at the Center for International Affairs at Harvard University, Sassen held various academic positions both in and outside the USA, such as the Ralph Lewis Professor of Sociology at the University of Chicago. She is currently Robert S. Lynd Professor of Sociology at Columbia University and Centennial Visiting Professor of Political Economy in the Department of Sociology at the London School of Economics.
During the 1980s and 1990s, Sassen emerged as a prolific author in urban sociology. She studied the impacts of globalisation such as economic restructuring, and how the movements of labour and capital influence urban life. She also studied the influence of communication technology on governance. Sassen observed how nation states begin to lose power to control these developments, and she studied increasing general transnationalism, including transnationalhuman migration. She identified and described the phenomenon of the global city. Her 1991 book bearing this title quickly made her a frequently quoted author on globalisation worldwide. A revised and updated edition of her book was published in 2001. She currently (2006) is pursuing her research and writing on immigration and globalization, with her "denationalization" and "transnationalism" projects (see Bibliography and External Links, below). Sassen's books have been translated into 21 languages.

Reviews

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a great and interesting book that explained the global economy and the role of major cities in a very rational manner. I also greatly appreciated the final chapters that talked about inequity, the environment, and women, which gave the book a slightly more narrative feel, compared to the overly technical first half of the book.
Overall, I found the book very informative, in terms of how global cities are becoming specialized, but within a financial industry. The world is not flat, and geography does matter.
I recommend this book for people interested in the role of cities, however, the writing is very uninteresting. At times, my eyes would glaze over, and I would have to reread a paragraph over and over again, not because I didn't get it, but because the writing was stale.
In terms of content, I would give this book 4 stars, in terms of writing, 3 stars.

[Jimmy J. Crantz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting perspectives on the global cities in the world and their role in it. Still, I felt like the book was a bit hard to follow the resoning of, like she approaches a bit too many destinations and don’t really manage to reach them all. An example is the explaination of the growing economic inequality that felt a bit thin to me.

[Mike Sanders · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good ideas and makes a good argument on how a split between services and manufacturing creates different shapes of cities, but doesn't feel like the argument was fully followed and explored.

[Pablo Rossello · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting book about new urban dynamics in the global age. Very useful for those interested in urban and globalisation studies. Very well-documented, the book develops the concept of 'global cities' as spaces within existing cities where the logistics and servicing of the new globalised economy's demands are met.

A bit too long in my opinion, it could well do without a couple of chapters. Good to compliment it with 'The Age of Migration' by Castles et al, who document migration patterns in the global age -and set forth a similar thesis of its development vis a vis the emergence of global cities.

[Len Gibbs · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent, multi-faceted explanation of how globalisation is affecting geography, life opportunities and the fortunes of cities. Its central arguments are well laid out and illustrated through cases studies and wider research. I read the 2nd edition which is over 10 years old but not a bit out of date.

[Karlo Mikhail · Rating 3 out of 5]

Written in a typically academic manner but absolutely helpful reference on recent transformations of the global economy.