ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book provides a global and interdisciplinary perspective on the relationship between cities and development. It organises around key themes that stand at the intersection between urban studies and development studies. It overviews of 6000 years of urban history, highlighting some of the critical junctures in the process of world urbanisation as well as important themes that emerge from the macro-historical perspective. The book explains the dynamic relationships between urbanism and economic development, which remains a central preoccupation in development research and policy, before exploring the multifaceted nature of urban poverty and the challenges of promoting sustainable livelihoods. The book offers an in-depth exploration of the essential material foundations of urban development and planning: land, housing, infrastructure and urban services. According to Michael Todaro, It is vitally important that imbalances between economic opportunities in rural and urban sectors be minimised.
