Cities and the Knowledge Economy

<p><em>Cities and the Knowledge Economy</em> is an in-depth interdisciplinary international and comparative examination of the relationship between knowledge and urban development in the contemporary era. Through the lenses of promise politics and possibility it examines how the knowledge economy has arisen how different cities have sought to realise its potential how universities play a role in its realisation and overall what this reveals about the relationship between politics capitalism space place and knowledge in cities.</p><p>The book argues that the 21st century city has been predicated on particular circuits of knowledge that constitute expertise as residing in elite and professional epistemic communities. In contrast alternative conceptions of the knowledge society are founded on assumptions which take analysis deliberation democracy and the role of the citizen and communities of practice seriously. Drawing on a range of examples from cities around the world the book reflects on these possibilities and asks what roles the practice of ‘active intermediation’ the university and a critical and engaged social scientific practice can all play in this process.</p><p>The book is aimed at researchers and students from different disciplines – geography politics sociology business studies economics and planning – with interests in contemporary urbanism and the role of knowledge in understanding development as well as urban policymakers politicians and practitioners who are concerned with the future of our cities and seek to create coalitions of different communities oriented towards more just and sustainable futures.</p>