Handbook of megacities and megacity-regions / edited by Danielle Labbé, André Sorensen.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

1. Megacities, megacity-regions, and the endgame of urbanization / André Sorensen and Danielle Labbé -- Part I: The conceptual challenges of megacities -- 2. Thinking about mega-conurbations and planning / John Friedmann -- 3. City limits: Bounding and unbounding in conceptualizing the megacity / Michael Leaf -- 4. Urbanization and developmental pathways: Critical junctures of urban transition / André Sørensen -- 5. El monstruo: Reflections on catastrophic metaphors about Mexico city / Julie-Anne Boudreau and Felipe de Alba -- Part II: Mega-urban governance -- 6. Urban governance of megacities: Searching for the collective actor / Christian Lefévre -- 7. Powerful states, weak states: Understanding coercion and neglect in the governance of Marcos-era Manila / Nancy Kwak -- 8. Actors and shifting scales of urban governance in India / Loraine Kennedy -- 9. The incomplete and paradoxical 'neoliberal turn' in mumbai / Marie-Héléne Zérah -- 10. Nurturing neighbourhoods to sustain quality of life in megacities and large city regions: An interdisciplinary reflection on planning for sustainable and socially just cities from chile / Lake Sagaris, María Inés Arribas, María Inés Solimano, Sonia Reyes-Paecke and Juan Carlos Muñoz -- Part III: Mega-urban patterns, forms and planning approaches -- 11. Urban containment policies for megacities: The case of beijing / Haoying Han -- 12. East Asian megacities: The view from the periphery / Douglas Webster and Jianyi Li -- 13. On the road again: The geography and characteristics of American commuter megaregions / Alasdair Rae and Garrett Dash Nelson -- 14. The West African corridor from Abidjan to Lagos: A megacity-region under construction / Armelle Choplin and Alice Hertzog -- 15. Cities: Growing threats, growing opportunities / Daniel Hoornweg and Kevin Pope -- Part IV: Mega-urban life spaces and liveability.

"Exploring the importance of megacities and megacity-regions as one of the defining features of the 21st century, this Handbook provides a clear and comprehensive overview of current thinking and debates from leading scholars in the field. Highlighting major current challenges and dimensions of megaurbanization, chapters form a thematic focus on governance, planning, history, and environmental and social issues, supported by case studies from every continent. Analysing vital questions for contemporary urban research, this Handbook looks at: what place megacities and megacity-regions occupy in a world of cities; how they interrogate current thinking about urban society, theory and policy; and what role these largest of urban areas will play in shaping humanity's future. Key contributions reveal that research needs to further focus a critical and analytical lens on the particularities and distinctive issues associated with megaurbanization. A timely and essential read for urban studies, urban geography and public policy students, the interdisciplinary nature of this Handbook provides a thorough view into the features and importance of megacities and megacity-regions. Public policy-makers and planners will also benefit from the wide-ranging case studies included"--