Lisa Benton-Short - Böcker

Cities and Nature connects environmental processes with social and political actions. The book reconnects science and social science to demonstrate how the city is part of the environment and how it is subject to environmental constraints and opportunities. This second edition has been extensively revised and updated with in-depth examination of theory and critical themes. Greater discussion is given to urbanization trends and megacities; the post-industrial city and global economic changes; developing cities and slums; urban political ecology; the role of the city in climate change; and sustainability. The book explores the historical relationship between cities and nature, contemporary challenges to this relationship, and attempts taken to create more sustainable cities. The historical context situates urban development and its impact on the environment, and in turn the environmental impact on people in cities. This provides a foundation from which to understand contemporary issues, such as urban political ecology, hazards and disasters, water quality and supply, air pollution and climate change. The book then considers sustainability and how it has been informed by different theoretical approaches. Issues of environmental justice and the role of gender and race are explored. The final chapter examines the ways in which cities are practicing sustainability, from light "greening" efforts such as planting trees, to more comprehensive sustainability plans that integrate the multiple dimensions of sustainability.The text contains case studies from around the globe, with many drawn from cities in the developing world, as well as reviews of recent research, updated and expanded further reading to highlight relevant films, websites and journal articles. This book is an asset to students and researchers in geography, environmental studies, urban studies and planning and sustainability.

Cities and Nature connects environmental processes with social and political actions. The book reconnects science and social science to demonstrate how the city is part of the environment and how it is subject to environmental constraints and opportunities. This second edition has been extensively revised and updated with in-depth examination of theory and critical themes. Greater discussion is given to urbanization trends and megacities; the post-industrial city and global economic changes; developing cities and slums; urban political ecology; the role of the city in climate change; and sustainability. The book explores the historical relationship between cities and nature, contemporary challenges to this relationship, and attempts taken to create more sustainable cities. The historical context situates urban development and its impact on the environment, and in turn the environmental impact on people in cities. This provides a foundation from which to understand contemporary issues, such as urban political ecology, hazards and disasters, water quality and supply, air pollution and climate change. The book then considers sustainability and how it has been informed by different theoretical approaches. Issues of environmental justice and the role of gender and race are explored. The final chapter examines the ways in which cities are practicing sustainability, from light "greening" efforts such as planting trees, to more comprehensive sustainability plans that integrate the multiple dimensions of sustainability.The text contains case studies from around the globe, with many drawn from cities in the developing world, as well as reviews of recent research, updated and expanded further reading to highlight relevant films, websites and journal articles. This book is an asset to students and researchers in geography, environmental studies, urban studies and planning and sustainability.

Immigration today touches the lives and economies of more people and places than ever before. Yet the places that are disproportionately affected by immigrant flows are not countries but cities. This remarkable collection examines contemporary global immigration trends and their profound effect on specific host cities. The book focuses not only on cities with long-established diverse populations, such as New York, Toronto, and Sydney, but also on lesser known established gateway cities such as Birmingham (UK) and Amsterdam, and the emerging gateways of Johannesburg, Washington, D.C., Singapore, and Dublin.The essays gathered here provide a global portrait of accelerating, worldwide immigration driven by income differentials, social networks, and various state policies that recruit skilled and unskilled laborers. Gateway cities vary in form and function, but many are hyper diverse, globally linked through transnational networks, and often increasingly segregated spaces. Offering penetrating analyses by leading scholars in the field, ""Migrants to the Metropolis"" redirects the global narrative surrounding migration away from states and borders and toward cities, where the vast majority of economic migrants settle.

This timely textprovides a comprehensive overview of the dramatic and rapidly evolving issues confronting the cities of North America. Metropolitan areas throughout the United States and Canada face a range of dynamic and complex concerns—including the redistribution of economic activities, the continued decline of manufacturing, and a global growth in services. The contributors provide compelling examples: Inner cities have experienced both gentrification and continued areas of segregation and poverty. Downtown revitalization has created urban spectacles that include festivals, marketplaces, and sports stadiums. Older, inner-ring suburbs now confront decline and increased poverty, while the outer-ring suburbs and exurbs continue to expand, devouring green space. The book explores how the combined processes of urbanization and globalization have added new responsibilities for city governments at the same time leaders are grappling with planning, economic development and finance, justice, equity, and social cohesion. Cities have become the stage upon which new forms of ethnic, racial, and sexual identities are constructed and reconstructed. They are also connected to wider ecological processes as urban spaces are compromised by manmade and natural disasters alike.Introducing contemporary spatial arrangements and distributions of activities in metropolitan areas, this clear and accessible book covers economic, social, political, and ecological changes. It is also the only text to include the physical geography of urban areas. Bringing together leading geographers, it will be an ideal resource for courses on urban geography and geography of the city.Contributions by: Matthew Anderson, Lisa Benton-Short, Geoff Buckley, Christopher DeSousa, Bernadette Hanlon, Amanda Huron, Yeong-Hyun Kim, Nathaniel M. Lewis, Robert Lewis, Deborah Martin, Lindsey Sutton, John Tiefenbacher, Thomas J. Vicino, Katie Wells, and David Wilson.

Now in a thoroughly revised and updated edition, this text offers a comprehensive examination of North America’s physical and human geography, weaving in the key themes of environment and sustainability throughout. The authors explore the challenges each region faces, such as water shortages, climate change, increased migration and diversity, urbanization, and continued economic changes. The book also highlights the positive actions that Americans and Canadians are taking to move toward a more sustainable future. New features in the second edition include sections on population, immigration and diversity, and urban trends. Each chapter also features a case study that examines a national park (representing natural and cultural heritage), how the region is coping with climate change, how geospatial technologies are applied to environmental challenges, iconic images and/or cultural festivals, urban sustainability best practices, and global connections and networks. Designed for ease of teaching and learning, the book features full-color photographs and maps throughout; chapter highlights; lists of key terms, places, and major cities for each chapter; discussion questions; and a glossary.

The National Mall in Washington, D.C. is one of the most important and highly visible urban public spaces in the U.S.  It is considered by many Americans to be "the nation’s front yard." Yet few have written about the role of this public space in the twenty-first century.In The National Mall, Lisa Benton-Short explores the critical issues that are redefining and reshaping this extraordinary public space. Her work focuses on three contemporary and interrelated debates about public space: the management challenges faced by federal authorities, increased demands for access and security post 9/11, and the role of the public in the Mall’s long-term planning and development plans. By taking a holistic view of the National Mall and analyzing the unique twenty-first century challenges it faces, Lisa Benton-Short provides a fluid, cohesive, and timely narrative that is as extraordinary as the Mall itself.

The challenge in teaching an introductory course on sustainability is there are many ways to teach it, and many issues to cover. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals offer a cohesive and interconnected set of topics to help address this problem – indeed the SDGs are now the guiding framework for planning and implementing sustainability through 2030. They are the focus of international development efforts, and the lingua franca of sustainability as a field of study, the international consensus on “what is sustainability?” As such, the UN SDGs present an ideal framework for an introductory level textbook because taken together, they integrate the “Three Es”—environment, economic development, and equity—that are the core definition of sustainability.This book introduces students to sustainability structured around the 17 UN SDGs. Through a global perspective, with attention given equally to how sustainability challenges the highest income countries of the Global North, as well as to the moderate- and low-income countries of the Global South, Benton-Short synthesizes basic environmental science, policy, and interdisciplinary perspectives while investigating key challenges to developing a more sustainable future through the SDG framework. Readers will easily tackle this complex set of topics through an accessible writing style, comprehensive scholarship, and diverse perspectives. Guided by a lush art program, complete with numerous maps, figures, and photos to enliven the presentation, students will develop a greater understanding of the important trends in sustainability in the twenty-first century. The broad arguments highlighted through numerous case studies and boxes prepare global citizens to grapple with the environmental, social, economic, and political challenges that face our collective future. Features of this exciting, brand-new text include: - Chapter opening learning objectives to guide students’ course goals- Helpful study aids such as key terms—bolded in the text and compiled both at the end of each chapter and in a comprehensive glossary- End-of-chapter questions for discussion and activities to promote active learning- A stunning art program, with detailed maps, figures, tables, and photos, to engage students as visual learners- Critical Perspectives and Expert Voice boxes to present the diverse perspectives in sustainability- Interconnections boxes to help students tie together ideas across the issues- Key Terms and Concepts and Understanding the Issue boxes to go in-depth on important topics- Making Progress and Solutions boxes that show students hopeful trends toward seemingly intractable problems- SDGs and the Law boxes that provide a legal and governance context

The challenge in teaching an introductory course on sustainability is there are many ways to teach it, and many issues to cover. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals offer a cohesive and interconnected set of topics to help address this problem – indeed the SDGs are now the guiding framework for planning and implementing sustainability through 2030. They are the focus of international development efforts, and the lingua franca of sustainability as a field of study, the international consensus on “what is sustainability?” As such, the UN SDGs present an ideal framework for an introductory level textbook because taken together, they integrate the “Three Es”—environment, economic development, and equity—that are the core definition of sustainability.This book introduces students to sustainability structured around the 17 UN SDGs. Through a global perspective, with attention given equally to how sustainability challenges the highest income countries of the Global North, as well as to the moderate- and low-income countries of the Global South, Benton-Short synthesizes basic environmental science, policy, and interdisciplinary perspectives while investigating key challenges to developing a more sustainable future through the SDG framework. Readers will easily tackle this complex set of topics through an accessible writing style, comprehensive scholarship, and diverse perspectives. Guided by a lush art program, complete with numerous maps, figures, and photos to enliven the presentation, students will develop a greater understanding of the important trends in sustainability in the twenty-first century. The broad arguments highlighted through numerous case studies and boxes prepare global citizens to grapple with the environmental, social, economic, and political challenges that face our collective future. Features of this exciting, brand-new text include: - Chapter opening learning objectives to guide students’ course goals- Helpful study aids such as key terms—bolded in the text and compiled both at the end of each chapter and in a comprehensive glossary- End-of-chapter questions for discussion and activities to promote active learning- A stunning art program, with detailed maps, figures, tables, and photos, to engage students as visual learners- Critical Perspectives and Expert Voice boxes to present the diverse perspectives in sustainability- Interconnections boxes to help students tie together ideas across the issues- Key Terms and Concepts and Understanding the Issue boxes to go in-depth on important topics- Making Progress and Solutions boxes that show students hopeful trends toward seemingly intractable problems- SDGs and the Law boxes that provide a legal and governance context

Cities are stepping forward to address the critical sustainability challenges of the 21st century. Chapters examine various topical themes including equity, the green economy, climate change, energy, transportation, water, green space, and waste.