An in-depth look at the major challenges facing humanity today and why the city—the ultimate symbol of human ingenuity—is where these battles will be won or lost.
 
From centres of antiquity like Athens or Rome to modern metropolises like New York or Shanghai, cities throughout history have been the engines of human progress and the epicentres of our greatest achievements. Now, for the first time, more than half of humanity lives in cities, and that continues to rise. In the developing world, cities are growing at a rate never seen before.

Professor Goldin and Tom Lee-Devlin show why making our societies fairer, more cohesive and sustainable must start with our cities. Globalization and technological change have concentrated wealth into a small number of booming metropolises, leaving many smaller cities and towns behind and feeding populist resentment. Yet even within seemingly thriving cities like London or San Francisco, the gap between the haves and have-nots continues to widen and our retreat into online worlds tears away at our social fabric. Meanwhile, pandemics and climate change pose existential threats to our increasingly urban world.

Age of the City combines the lessons of history with a deep understanding of the challenges confronting our world today to show why cities are at a crossroads—and hold our destinies in the balance.
 
Contributor Bio(s)
 
Ian Goldin is Professor of Development and Globalisation at the University of Oxford and former Vice President of the World Bank. Ian’s recent publications include Rescue: From Global Crisis to a Better World, Terra Incognita: 100 Maps to Survive the Next 100 Years, and Age of Discovery.
Tom Lee-Devlin is a writer at The Economist and co-host of the Money Talks podcast. He previously worked as a management consultant at Bain & Company.