ABSTRACT
The chapters in this book highlight the international nature of urbanism and urban development, as well as the fact that the continuous shift of the centers of power obscures historical realities across the planet. Often, this bans entire regions to a fictional “other side,” the periphery, and implies that what happened there is of little or no importance. Viewed from a longue durée framework, the notions of center and periphery disappear. Touching upon aspects such as emerging cities, modernization, nationalism and the role of elites, the chapters attempt to “de-center” our view. These multi-layered histories remind us of the excavation work that is needed in order to overcome historical distortions and recover reality. Bidding goodbye to the notion of center and periphery is a crucial step in this endeavor.
