GEO 320 Urban Geography Fall 2007
Department of Geography and Meteorology, Valparaiso University
The Contemporary City & Urbanization

Characteristics of the Contemporary City

• Centralization
  • Command and Control Functions
• Decentralization

The Shift from the Fordist City to the Post Fordist City

• Vertical Integration
• Fordism's Effect on Urban Structure
  • Great Depression--a crisis of overproduction
  • Keynesianism
  • Suburbanization

Consequences of Changing Structure

• Dual Economy

At the Global Scale

Urbanization

World Cities

• Command and Control Functions
• Dual Economy

Megacities

Causes of Urban Growth

The Urbanization Cycle

• Primate City Phase
• Intermediate City Phase
• Small City Phase

Stages of Urban Development Model

• Counterurbanization
• Suburbanization
• Exurbanizaiton