Synopses & Reviews
Postmetropolis completes Edward Soja's trilogy aimed at expanding the scope and critical insight of our spatial imaginations. Applying the theoretical frameworks developed in
Postmodern Geographies (1989) and
Thirdspace (1996), it is the first comprehensive text in the growing field of critical urban and regional studies to deal with the dramatically restructured megacities that emerged worldwide over the last half of the twentieth century. At its core is a lively discussion of six discourses that have coalesced around explaining what Soja calls the postmetropolitan transition, a major sea change in how we live in cities and experience urbanism as a way of life. To provide depth to these discussions, the book begins with a rethinking of the debates on the origins of cities, the geohistorical evolution of urban form, and the dynamic relations between society and space in the specific context of urban agglomerations.
In addition to being an innovative text in urban and regional studies and an insightful application of new approaches to interpreting the spatiality of human life, Postmetropolis is also a book about contemporary Los Angeles, a vivid and far-reaching interpretation of its turbulent recent history and geography. The book concludes with a look back to the civil unrest of 1992 to portray the postmetropolis in explosive crisis as well as to draw some hope for the future based on new coalition-based struggles for spatial justice and regional democracy.
Synopsis
This is the third volume of Edward Soja's trilogy on urban studies, which began with Postmodern Geographies and continued with Thirdspace. Innovative and acutely sensitive, Postmetropolis presents a captivating guide to our urban future. This is the first comprehensive text to deal with the dramatically restructured megacities -- here called postmetropolis -- that have emerged over the last half of the twentieth century all over the world. At its core is a lively discussion of the six discourses on the postmetropolis that have developed, locally and globally, to make sense of the new urbanization processes.
The book seeks to widen further the scope of our geographical imaginations and to increase the depth and understanding of the ways in which we understand and live within the spatiality of social life. It is also a book about contemporary Los Angeles, a vivid and far-reaching interpretation of its turbulent recent history and geography.
Synopsis
This completes Ed Soja's trilogy on urban studies, which began with Postmodern Geographies and continued with Thirdspace. It is the first comprehensive text in the growing field of critical urban studies to deal with the dramatically restructured megacities that have emerged world-wide over the last half of the twentieth-century.
Description
Includes bibliographical references (p. [416]-430) and indexes.
About the Author
"Traditional sociological and urban design critiques of the American city have left vacant a wide middle ground of critical enquiry. Between statistical analysis and physical critique, Edward Soja attempts to bridge the divide by proposing a 'third way' for urban studies. The result is a broad overview, ranging between sociological and cultural points of view, with the provocative possibility of pairing the two in a new urban paradigm."
Tom Leslie, World Architecture"Coming to the field as a relative novice, I found this book more straightforward and thought provoking than I expected...it is sure to be of interest and value to students and researchers alike." Regional Studies.
"Postmetropolis effectively illuminates the rich complexity and multidisciplinary of urban and regional restructuring in the current era... will serve as a useful resource." Journal of Economic and Social Geography.
"Postmetropolis is magisterial in its historic sweep" Thomas L. Bell, University of Tennessee.
Table of Contents
List of Illustrations.
Preface.
Acknowledgments.
Part I: Remapping the Geohistory of Cityspace. .
Introduction.
1. Putting Cities First.
2. The Second Urban Revolution.
3. The Third Urban Revolution: Modernity and Urban-Industrial Capitalism.
4. Metropolis in Crisis.
5. An Introduction to the Conurbation of Greater Los Angeles.
Part II: Six Discourses on the Postmetropolis. .
Introduction.
6. The Postfordist Industrial Metropolis: Restructuring the Geopolitical Economy of Urbanism.
7. Cosmopolis: The Globalization of Cityspace.
8. Exopolis: The Restructuring of Urban Form.
9. Fractal City: Metropolarities and the Restructured Social Mosaic.
10. The Carceral Archipelago: Governing Space in the Postmetropolis.
11. Simcities: Restructuring the Urban Imaginary.
Part III: Lived Space: Rethinking 1992 in Los Angeles.
12. L. A. 1992: Overture to a Conclusion.
13. L. A. 1992: The Spaces of Representation.
14. Postcript: Critical Reflections on the Postmetropolis.
Bibliography.
Name Index.
Subject Index.