An Ordinary City

This book paints an intimate portrait of an overlooked kind of city that neither grows nor declines drastically. In fact, New Bedford, Massachusetts represents an entire category of cities that escape mainstream urban studies' more customary attention to global cities (New York), booming cities (Atlanta), and shrinking cities (Flint). New Bedford-style ordinary cities are none of these, they neither grow nor decline drastically, but in their inconspicuousness, they account for a vast majority of all cities. Given the complexities of growth and decline, both temporarily and spatially, how does a city manage change and physically adapt to growth and decline? This book offers an answer through a detailed analysis of the politics, environment, planning strategies, and history of New Bedford.

Presents a valuable case study to examine the timely topic of urban population decline Contributes to the burgeoning literature on declining cities and depopulation Has global and interdisciplinary appeal, especially in the areas of urban studies, urban planning, public affairs, political science and environmental studies

Autorentext

Justin B. Hollander is Associate Professor in the Department of Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning at Tufts University, USA. He has written five books and over 50 articles, book chapters, and reports on legacy cities, Big Data, brownfields, and urban design.

Inhalt

1. Introduction.- 2. Planning for Growth & Decline in America: A Concise History Chapter.-3. Theories of Smart Shrinkage & Smart Growth Chapter.- 4. How Much Change Is Too Much a Look at the Numbers.- 5. The Legacy of Change: Depopulation and Growth's Impact on New Bedford Today Chapter.- 6. After the Hurricane: Government Responses to Employment and Population Change, 1929-1975 Chapter.- 7. Coming to Terms with Change: Contemporary Policy Responses.- 8.Urban Absorption Chapter.- 9. Conclusion.