The rapidly changing structure of urban social and economic activity in recent years has given rise to a great deal of concern regarding the fate of that area of the city where economic activity is chiefly concentrated: the central business district (CBD). This book, a geographic study of the changing nature of CBDs, represents a concise, well-ordered, and readable attempt to deal with that concern. Written by a widely known authority on the subject, it provides a comprehensive summary and analysis of much of the research done on CBDs over the past two decades and establishes many striking generalizations regarding the past, present and future evolutions of CBDs, both in this country and abroad.Using maps and diagrams where helpful, Murphy, a pioneer researcher in this field from the standpoint of economic geography, provides the record of his own and others' attempts to define CBDs and to develop theories about them. He not only presents the story of the research attack on the CBDs of a number of cities, including estimates of their probable future, but also details a practicable technique for delimiting and studying CBDs.An important feature of the book is the attention Murphy devotes to the valuable work done in this field outside America, and his examples, which fully cover the American experience, are by no means confined to it, taking in important urban centres throughout the world. This book, intended for anyone interested in the urban scene, will be particularly helpful to students and teachers of urban geography and to practicing urban planners.

This text is an introduction to the study of towns and cities. The book synthesizes a wealth of material to provide a comprehensive introduction for students of urban geography, drawing on a rich blend of theoretical and empirical information, to advance their knowledge of the city. For the first time in the history of humankind, urban dwellers outnumber rural residents and this trend is destined to continue. Urban places, towns and cities are of fundamental importance: for the distribution of population within countries; in the organization of economic production, distribution and exchange; in the structuring of social reproduction and cultural life; and in the allocation and exercise of power. Even those living beyond the administrative or functional boundaries of a town or city, will have their lifestyle influenced to some degree by a nearby or distant city.

Urban Geography a comprehensive introduction to a variety of issues relating to contemporary urban geography, including patterns and processes of urbanization, urban development, urban planning, and life experiences in modern cities. Reveals both the diversity of ordinary urban geographies and the networks, flows and relations which increasingly connect cities and urban spaces at the global scale Uses the city as a lens for proposing and developing critical concepts which show how wider social processes, relations, and power structures are changing Considers the experiences, lives, practices, struggles, and words of ordinary urban residents and marginalized social groups rather than exclusively those of urban elites Shows readers how to develop critical perspectives on dominant neoliberal representations of the city and explore the great diversity of urban worlds

This book is divided into three parts. The first deals with typical settelements in each of the seven continents, the early stages of settlements, land surveys and general phases of town evolution. The second part discusses changes in site and patter, from Neolithic to modern times. The third part specializes in topographic and functional controls in modern towns. Chapters on Planning, Regional Surveys and Classification of towns close the book. There are about 300 specially drawn plans and diagrams of towns - which should appeal to the sociologist and town planner as well as to every serious student of geography. This book was first published in 1949.

As the growing world population increasingly comes to live in cities, the field of urban geography will continue to expand in numbers and significance. This book encompasses both systems of cities and the internal geography of metro areas. It is a contemporary introduction to urban geography by a renowned scholar in the field.