The Future of Cities: California’s Inland Empire

It’s always been a mug’s fame to bet against New York City, which was counted out only to quickly bounce back after 9/11 and again in 2008 after the financial system nearly collapsed.

The Future of Cities: The Evolution of New York City Politics

It’s always been a mug’s fame to bet against New York City, which was counted out only to quickly bounce back after 9/11 and again in 2008 after the financial system nearly collapsed.

The Future of Cities: The Texas Triangle

The metropolitan areas that form the “Texas Triangle” —Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio— are emerging as distinctive models of 21st century urbanism.

The Future of Cities: Indianapolis

Indianapolis was an unlikely candidate to emerge as a midwestern demographic and economic leader. It is an artificially created city, chosen by fiat as a centrally located capital for Indiana.

Ex-Urbia

“Town and country must be married and out of this joyous union will spring a new hope, a new life, a new civilization.”
— Ebenezer Howard, 1898”

All cities must evolve over time. Those that fail to do so end up, at best, like Venice, Vienna, or Florence: lifestyle and tourist hubs. Read more

Canada and the U.S. are Not Systemically Racist — and the Numbers Prove It

As we talk about the future, we also need to confront the past. History, with all its complexities, defines our civilization, creating both cautionary tales and forging a common identity, which is particularly critical for relatively young and highly diverse countries.

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The Ghost of Ancient Rome Haunts America

The death of Ancient Rome wasn’t so much a collapse as a slow, interminable decay: between the second and sixth centuries AD, its population declined from a million people to just 30,000. Since then, 15 centuries have passed and thousands of cities have been built. And yet, as Rome’s greatest chronicler Edward Gibbon warned in 1776, a similar fate awaits our modern metropolises. This time, however, their decline will radically alter our perception of what “urbanism” really means.

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The Future of Cities: Recalibrating Expectations: Lessons From Youngstown, Ohio

As Youngstown, Ohio lost its industrial base, it faced long-term effects from disinvestment and globalization – and a need for economic renewal. What lessons did the city learn, and can they be applied elsewhere?

Are Asians the New Jews?

In countries where Asians and Jews immigrated in large numbers, they have long followed a common path. Both groups occupy a dual position: discriminated against for standing out, while at the same time held up as models of success. Read more

The Future of Cities: Africa’s Urban Future

The urban future in the coming decades will be largely an African one. Now home to 12 of the world’s largest cities and four megacities; Africa has the world’s fastest-growing urban population.