In the age of globalization, state restructuring is changing thepolitical landscape. How does reshaping local government affect citizeninvolvement in public life? As cities move between centralized anddecentralized governance and conservative and progressive leadership,what brings out the best and the worst in civic engagement?


In this thought-provoking book, Sylvia Bashevkin examines theconsequences of divergent restructuring experiences in London andToronto. By focusing on the forced amalgamation of local boroughs inToronto and the creation of a new metropolitan authority in London,Tales of Two Cities explores the fallout for women as urbancitizens. Ultimately, context is crucial to whether municipal changesignals pessimism or promise.


Clear, insightful, and prescient, Tales of Two Cities will appeal tothose interested in civic affairs, political inclusion, and the futureof democracy in major urban centres.