Includes bibliographical references and index.

"We live in the 'urban century'. Cities all over the world - in both developing and developed countries - display complex evolutionary patterns. Urban Empires: Cities as Global Rulers in the New Urban World charts the backgrounds, mechanisms, drivers, and consequences of these radical changes in our contemporary systems from a global perspective and analyses the dominant position of modern cities in the 'New Urban World'. This volume takes a broad perspective on the drastic role change of large cities in our global network society. This book works to provide advanced analytical contributions - from both a theoretical and applied perspective - to the competitive profile of urban agglomerations in a globalizing world. It traces and investigates the economic and political drivers of network cities in a global context and explores the governance challenges presented by mega-cities. It also works to identify and map out the new geography of the emerging 'urban century'. With contributions from well-known scholars from around the world, Urban Empires serves as a touchstone for exploring the scientific and policy needs of cities as the new global power centers which will of use to both students and professionals"--