Splintering Urbanism: Networked Infrastructures, Technological Mobilities and the Urban Condition

by Stephen Graham, Simon Marvin

Splintering Urbanism makes an international and interdisciplinary analysis of the complex interactions between infrastructure networks and urban spaces. It delivers a new and powerful way of understanding contemporary urban change, bringing together discussions
*globalization and the city
*technology and society
*urban space and urban networks
*infrastructure and the built environment
*developed, developing and post-communist worlds.
With a range of case studies, illustrations and boxed examples, from New York to Jakarta, Johannesberg to Manila and Sao Paolo to Melbourne, Splintering Urbanism demonstrates the latest social, urban and technological theories, which give us an understanding of our contemporary metropolis.

Genres: Architecture, Cities, Urban Studies, Urbanism, Social Science, History

512 pages, Hardcover

First published June 14, 2001

About the author

Stephen Graham is an academic and author who researches cities and urban life. He is Professor of Cities and Society at the Global Urban Research Unit and is based in Newcastle University's School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape.

Professor Graham has a background in Geography, Planning and the Sociology of Technology. His research centres, in particular, on:

•relations between cities, technology and infrastructure
•urban aspects of surveillance
•the mediation of urban life by digital technologies; and
• connections between security, militarisation and urban life.
Writing, publishing and lecturing across many countries and a variety of disciplines, Professor Graham has been Visiting Professor at MIT and NYU, amongst other institutions. The author, editor or co-author of seven major books, his work has been translated into eleven languages

Reviews

[Rachel Bok]

I have strongly mixed feelings about this book. With regards to the intellectual content alone, I enjoyed it, although I can't help feeling that some unhelpful binaries are being cast between the so-called 'North' and 'South', between the 'developed' and 'developing' world. I also think that this study would have benefitted from showcasing evidence of primary empirical evidence. What I really disliked about this book was the way chapters were broken up into sections -- which is fine enough -- but these sections were in turn broken up into sub-sections, which were again broken up into sub-sub sections, and sub-sub-sub sections... It does not end there. Reading the book was at times an excruciating (and alienating) experience because of the way the content was organized. It was as though the book itself was being splintered.

[Karel · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is a treasure for everyone who is interested in the shift from modernist (keynesian) urban planning to post-modernist (neoliberal) urban planning. However, the information is layed-out way too comprehensivly (too much repetitions and sidetracks) and the structuring and lay-out are an absolute nightmare, which makes it very hard to plough through.

[Victoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

A complex and enlightening read giving justified space for infrastructures which allow the course of daily life to run, yet remaining largely invisible as fibres or underneath our feet. Shows the interplay between politics, infrastructural networks, social issues and global capitalist systems which run our world.

[Thorsten · Rating 4 out of 5]

very much enjoyed this, extremely informative and overarching explanation on the state of the post-modern global cities of the world. My one criticism is that it takes a somewhat alarmist view in the main, and does not look at the impact of cultural production standing outside the growth of secessionary networks.

[Sherief · Rating 4 out of 5]

The politics of pipes! Love it.

[Mills College Library]

307.76 G7422 2001