This collection of essays explores the phenomenon of antiurbanism: the
antipathy, fear, and hatred of the city. Antiurbanism has been a
pervasive counter-discourse to modernity and urbanization especially
since the beginning of industrialism and the dawning of modern life.
Most of the attention on modernity has been focused on urbanization and
its consequences. But as the essays collected here demonstrate,
antiurbanism is an equally important reality as it can be seen as
playing a crucial role in cultural identity, in the formation of the
self within the context of modernity, as well as in the root of many
forms of conservative politics and cultural movements.