ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book reflects the diverse international membership of the Urban Commission as does the range of countries and regions which are the focus of the research. One of the key aims of the International Geographical Union (IGU) Urban Commission is to draw together urban researchers from around the world to share their experiences, knowledge and expertise from particular world regions. The book explores a range of urban issues in other core economies outside Europe. It also explores urban change on the Iberian Peninsula. The book highlights how Galician housing markets behaved before and after the economic crisis. It focuses on the differential engagement with internet technologies in Madrid. It also explores the potential of intermediate sized cities for the creative industries. The book explores the lopsided relationship between London as a global city and its surrounding urban system, or Polycentric Urban Region (PUR).
