ABSTRACT
The management and social control functions of cities have become the jurisdiction of a proliferating range of agencies. Interest in urban governance is shared by those keen to chart the impact of crime and disorder as well as those analysing the role of governments and other agencies seeking to develop and improve the local economy. These interests present new directions for cities while generating new debates regarding the appending of economic growth strategies to the goals of managing and controlling apparently unruly populations and districts. These spaces are seen as presenting a threat not only to respectable society but also to ambitions to deliver growth within a competitive hierarchy of cities and city actors.
