This two-volume set offers a comprehensive overview of major challenges faced by cities worldwide in the 21st century, and how cities in different geographic, economic, and political conditions are finding solutions to them.

This two-volume encyclopedia examines ten critical issues that face cities across the globe today-environmental and societal struggles that affect the daily lives of city dwellers. Readers will gain a better understanding of our global neighbors and will be able to use this book in order to compare and contrast different approaches to critical issues in our world.



Volume One examines employment and jobs; energy and sustainability; green spaces; housing and infrastructure; and migration and demographic changes. Volume Two discusses pollution; schools; traffic and transportation; violence, corruption, and organized crime; and waste management. Each issue begins with an introduction providing an overview of the issue from a global perspective. Following the introduction are ten alphabetically arranged world city profiles of cities that are struggling with the issue and cities that have found innovative solutions to deal with the crisis. The profiles explain how the problem came to be; consequences inhabitants face, such as compromised health, limited access to education, and high taxes with low wages; and failed and successful initiatives taken by city management.









Offers students more than a simple A-Z encyclopedia of the world's major cities by delving deep into the issues that these urban centers face



Includes approximately 100 entries on a multitude of issues in a variety of cities around the world, from Abu Dhabi to Zurich



Includes photographs to help to illuminate and provide visual support to the text



Features entries written by more than 30 scholars with backgrounds in a variety of disciplines, contributing to a well-rounded, comprehensive text