ABSTRACT
The other chapters in this book have concentrated on a range of aspects of specific relations between cities and the countryside in the developing world. Throughout the book an attempt has been made to examine the nature of rural-urban relationships within the broader context of the role of these relationships in general ideas of development. One of the arguments in this book is that rural-urban interactions have been an important part of the general perception of development in the past and that they have been coming back into focus again in recent years. Researchers, planners and development organisations are establishing initiatives and activities that attempt to use the dynamism of the interactions for the benefit of both urban and rural areas. However, one of the main challenges to successfully harnessing urban-rural linkages for the purpose of mutual or interdependent development is the fact that there is still much to be learned about the nature of these relationships and there are competing views on how best this can be done.
