In a recent survey on politics, economy, environment, safety, health, education and traffic in central cities, Amsterdam ranked among the ten best places to live. The reasons why can be found in Understanding Amsterdam. Essays by ten prominent social scientists, among them Manuel Castells, Edward Soja and Susan Fainstein, present views on changes in the economy, and the cultural and spatial layout of Amsterdam, suggesting new ways of thinking about Amsterdam. They discuss urban growth and how the city has fared through the ages of suburbanization and globalization. The local situation is explored from different perspectives. The stories depict how a city with an impressive historical past is continuously adapting to change.