Synopses & Reviews
The book explores urban dynamics in post-socialist Europe 15 years after the fall of communism. The 'urban mosaic' metaphor expresses the complexity, diversity and uniqueness of the processes and spatial outcomes in post-socialist cities. The book examines the urban development and the policy and planning processes that have resulted from the socio-economic, political, and institutional transformations characterizing the move to markets and democracy. The emerging urban phenomena are illustrated with in-depth case studies, sensitive to historical themes, cultural issues and the socialist legacy. Cities featured in the book include: Kazan, St. Petersburg, Moscow, Warsaw, Prague, Komarno, Budapest, Belgrade, Bucharest, Sofia and Tirana. The edited volume is organized around the following four themes: the driving forces of post-socialist change; urban processes and spatial change; housing and retail sector transformation; and urban planning and policy responses. "This volume provides an impressive overview of the dramatic transformations in the urban fabric and housing systems of post-socialist Europe". Larry S. Bourne, Professor of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto "This text is a brave attempt to bring together a range of understandings of how urban systems are developing in post-socialist Europe, using both comparative data across countries and case studies of individual cities." Christine Whitehead, Professor of Economics, London School of Economics
Synopsis
This book explores urban dynamics in Europe fifteen years after the fall of communism. The 'urban mosaic' of the title expresses the complexity and diversity of the processes and spatial outcomes in post-socialist cities. Emerging urban phenomena are illustrated with case studies, focusing on historical themes, cultural issues and the socialist legacy. Among the cities analyzed are Kazan, St. Petersburg, Moscow, Warsaw, Prague, Komarno, Budapest, Belgrade, Bucharest, Sofia and Tirana.
Table of Contents
Part I: The Driving Forces of Post-socialist Change.- Part II: Urban Processes and Spatial Change.- Part III: Urban Functions: Housing and Retail.- Part IV: Urban Planning and Policy Responses.