Urban Europe: a study of growth and decline

TLDR

The study is the first volume of a planned series presenting results from the cross‑national comparative project “Costs of Urban Growth”. The authors outline the elements of a theory of urban development. Fourteen European research teams conducted an empirical analysis of urban development trends from 1950 to 1975, covering municipalities (1960‑70) and functional urban regions, and examined urban policy elements and national policies. The volume reports first‑stage results of the project, including an evaluation of national urban policies and discussion of a theory of urban policy.

Abstract

This is the first of a planned series in which the results of a cross-national comparative study entitled the Costs of Urban Growth will be presented. The study was undertaken by 14 research teams from European countries under the auspices of the European Coordination Centre for Research and Documentation in Social Sciences in Vienna Austria. The results presented in this volume are from the first stage of the project. The elements of a theory of urban development are first outlined. An empirical analysis of urban development trends in Europe is then presented with consideration given to urban municipalities during the period 1960-1970 and functional urban regions during 1950-1975. Finally the elements of a theory on urban policy are discussed and national urban policies in Europe are evaluated.