ABSTRACT
The terms city and culture indicate complex conceptual fields. Each figures in several academic disciplines, has its own history as a concept apart from the histories of specific cities and cultures and is used in various and at times conflicting ways. One of my aims in this book is to clarify how different uses of such terms indicate different assumptions. A second is to introduce readers in a range of academic fields to literature from fields other than their own. A third is to complement existing sources by adding a volume which is critical and introductory, and accessible without masking complexities. The book is intended for undergraduates in years 2 and 3 in urban studies, architecture, art and design, heritage, cultural studies, cultural policy, urban planning and sociology as well as cultural, human and urban geography; and postgraduates in interdisciplinary fields. I hope its juxtaposition of diverse sources, cases and ideas will enable new insights among readers, encourage reflexivity and contribute to discussion of urban conditions and future prospects.
