Books

World City Syndrome: Neoliberalism and Inequality in Cape Town

Author:

David A. McDonald

Year:

2008

Publisher:

Routledge, New York

Number of pages:

384

Available languages:

ISBN:

9780415875004

Available Formats:

Order the Book (EN)

Abstract

The literature on world cities has had an enormous influence on urban theory and practice, with academics and policy makers attempting to understand, and often strive for, world city status. In this groundbreaking new work, the author explores Cape Town’s position in this network of global cities and critically investigates the conceptual value of the world city hypothesis. He argues that Cape Town must be understood as a neoliberal city, wracked by the socio-spatial inequalities inherent to market-oriented reforms. Despite the pro-poor rhetoric of local and national government in post-apartheid South Africa, Cape Town has arguably become the most unequal city in the world.