Theories of Urban Politics - Hardcover

`A well-written collection of articles that are clear enough and brief enough to be usable in second or third year university classes, and substantial enough to be useful to more advanced students. A wide range of topics is covered: pluralism, elite theory, regime theory, the problem of political control of the municipal bureaucracy, local government consolidation vs. fragmentation, Marxist theories, regulation theory, and more.... In short, this is a very servicable book' - Canadian Journal of Urban Research

`This is a worthy book... provides a useful overview of the key themes and key perspectives in the analysis of urban politics' - Housing Studies

`Clearly written and the book represents an important attempt to capture the main directions of change in the operation of urban politics. It is divided into four sections which reflect the range of different approaches adopted and the different problems identified within them. In their introduction the editors acknowledge the diversity of the contributions in the book as well as the different interpretations of "theory" adopted in them. This diversity is one of the strengths of the collection because it makes it possible to explore what is happening from different perspectives.... The final section starts with a powerful and persuasive statement of the benefits of pluralist analysis.... In its 14 chapters Theories of Urban Politics covers almost everything you might want to know about urban politics... The book is an heroic attempt to map the whole terrain of urban politics in the late twentieth century... well worth reading for those interested in the practical as well as theoretical operations of urban politics. Judge et al offer a fascinating series of snapshots of the current state of debate about the nature of urban politics' - Local Government Studies

`Although urban politics is often viewed as a backwater in the larger discipline of political science, it is an estuary brimming with competing points of view. As nation-states decline and "citistates" rise, metropolitan politics matter more. That makes this collection especially useful. Its 16 authors include many of the most reflective observers, and the coverage is eclectic, ranging from feminism to public choice, from Marxism to pluralism.... provides a wide sampling of postwar urban scholarship as its works towards a better understanding of past, present, and future metropolises' - Choice

The first part looks at issues of power and examines both traditional and recent theories of power in cities. The nature of public bureaucracy and those officials that have a leadership role within city government are discussed in the second part. The third part examines the ways that citizens are involved in the process of urban politics. The final part seeks to place urban politics in terms of the social economic environment and the complex architecture of government in which it has to operate.

Theories of Urban Politics is an excellent survey of the current state of theoretical debate in urban studies and will be essential reading for students.