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Secondary cities have recently become the subject of renewed interest by scholars and international development organisations. Today they are no longer defined by population size, but rather by their functionality and connectivity with global and national systems of cities, which has a significant influence on the way they are defined.
Written specially for Cities Alliance by Prof. Brian Roberts, this book investigates the role secondary cities play in the development of global regions and nations. It includes:
- A literature review and redefinition of the term “secondary city” in the context of the role they play in global and national urban systems.
- A discussion of trends, influences and challenges, including the forces of New Economic Geography (NEG), facing the development of secondary cities in developing regions using a systems analysis perspective. This is dealt with under the headings: urban governance, economic, development, social and environmental systems.
- 15 regional case studies illustrate the way countries in developing regions have approached urbanisation, decentralisation and other developments in support of secondary cities development.
- An examination of the role of international development assistance agencies and organisations in supporting the development of systems of secondary cities.
