Philosophy and the City : Interdisciplinary and Transcultural Perspectives

This volume provides an invaluable resource for advanced-level students of place and space in philosophy, geography, sociology and urban studies. It includes coverage of all the major terms, theories and concepts, examines specific cities and historical contexts, and explores future directions for a philosophy of the city.

Philosophy begins in the city states of Classical Greece. And in the context of our own highly urbanised modes of living, the relationship between philosophy and the city is more important than ever. The city is the place in which most humans now play out their lives, and the place that determines much of the cultural, social, economic, and political life of the contemporary world. Towards a Philosophy of the City explores a wide range of approaches and perspectives in a way that is true to the city’s complex and dynamic character. The volume begins with a comprehensive introduction that identifies the key themes and then moves through four parts, examining the concept of the city itself, its varying histories and experiences, the character of the landscapes that belong to the city, and finally the impact of new technologies for the future of city spaces. Each section takes up aspects of the thinking of the city as it develops in relation to particular problems, contexts, and sometimes as exemplified in particular cities. This volume provides an invaluable resource for students and scholars in Philosophy, Geography, Sociology and Urban Studies.