The Growth of Cities

About the lecture

In this module, we think about contemporary patterns of urban growth and inequality in cities, focusing on: (i) the growing proportion of the global population living in cities over the last century - from c. 8% in 1930 to 55% in 2018 - and projections for the future; (ii) the geographical distribution of urban growth today, notably its concentration in Asia and Africa; (iii) some cities which are growing particularly quickly, including Delhi, Shanghai, Dhaka and Kinshasa; (iv) some important consequences of this rapid urbanisation, including increased inequality, poor access to services and housing, and urban development on land vulnerable to flooding; (v) the relationship between urbanisation and social change.

About the lecturer

Dr Jonathan Clarke is Assistant Professor in Global Sustainable Development at the University of Warwick. His research focuses on urban resilience and sustainability, infrastructural adaptations to climate change, and access to water and energy in cities.