ABSTRACT
This chapter outlines some definitions that are fundamental to making sense of the world of urbanization in global context. It redefines terms such as development, sustainability, globalization and community, which elaborates on the importance of the apparently simple recognition of different domains of social life. Sustainable urban development in many parts of the world continues to be a struggle. The lives of the people that such development is meant to enrich are often being made more difficult by these same developmental processes. The term lifeworld is used to encompass both the social/natural and global/local bases for human living. It emphasizes local settings with global relations. The challenge of conducting research or initiating social change in the contemporary world is complicated by what is often a rapid and radical reconfiguration of social space. Cities in the current world are faced with intensifying global interconnections: therefore, understanding processes of globalization and localization is crucial.
