By the dawn of the 21st century, more than half of the world's
population was living in urban areas, and demographic forecasts for the
decades ahead estimate that by 2030, almost five billion people - out of
a world population of eight billion -will be living in towns and cities.
This volume explores the implications of this unprecedented expansion in
the world's most urbanized region, Latin America, exploring the new
urban reality, and the consequences for the wider developing world. This
volume brings together studies from a range of disciplines to highlight
some of the key issues regarding the changing nature of contemporary
urban life, covering such issues as crime, democracy, housing and health
policies.