This innovative book explores the foundations of the smart city and, through a critique of its challenges and concerns, showcases how to redefine the concept for increased sustainability, liveability and resilience in urban areas. It undertakes a review of the smart city concept, providing a new perspective on how technology-based urban solutions must be centred around human dimensions to render more liveable urban fabrics. Chapters highlight how existing digital infrastructures can be coupled with emerging ones, so that they can provide increased efficiency and performance, with an ultimate objective of rendering safer, more sustainable, resilient and inclusive cities, aligning with the needs of the SDGs. The book also covers emerging technologies and concepts, such as 6G and the '15-minute city', underlining how these can develop within smart city frameworks. This is an invigorating look into the concept of the smart city and how it can be improved and rethought, making it useful for urban studies and human geography academics and researchers. It also offers helpful insights for policy makers and planners on how to increase the quality of life in modern cities.

Elgar Research Agendas outline the future of research in a given area. Leading scholars are given the space to explore their subject in provocative ways, and map out the potential directions of travel. They are relevant but also visionary. Over the past decade, digital geographies has emerged as a dynamic area of scholarly enquiry, critically examining how the digital has reshaped the geography of our world. Bringing together authors working at the cutting-edge of the field, and grounding abstract ideas in case studies, this Research Agenda looks at the ways in which technology has altered all aspects of society, culture and the environment. Chapters explore four key themes: the role of technology infrastructures; the ways that winners and losers are created at the digital margins; the power of the digital to create new spaces; and the ways that the digital is changing research methods. Critically outlining the state of play around these topics, each chapter unpacks a case study related to pioneering research, suggesting possible avenues for research that digital geographers might pursue. The Research Agenda concludes with an identification of three priority areas for future work: the intimate nature of our relations with technology; approaches to resisting the power of technology companies; and finally, the need for more interdisciplinary approaches to examining digital geographies. Rooted in the subject areas of technology, geography, sociology and political science, A Research Agenda for Digital Geographies will be greatly valuable to human and socio-cultural geographers, and digital social scientists with an interest in how the digital affects society and space.

Elgar Research Agendas outline the future of research in a given area. Leading scholars are given the space to explore their subject in provocative ways, and map out the potential directions of travel. They are relevant but also visionary. This cutting-edge Research Agenda for Place Branding explores ideas and debates that inform a refreshing take on the future of place branding and marketing. It argues that we are at a juncture where the logical and sensible step is to push the 'reset button' on such activity and fully reconsider its purpose and goals. Chapters span a range of important themes in contemporary place branding and are organised into sections covering place branding governance, contexts, experience and creativity. Drawing on contributions from key international scholars across a variety of academic disciplines, the book showcases an interplay of oppositional perspectives - ranging from those who see place branding as a potential means of improving the economic vitality of places, to others who consider much existing place branding activity exclusionary to certain sectors of society. Providing a wealth of creative and innovative suggestions on how place branding can be done, thought about and researched differently in the future, this Research Agenda will be a key resource for research-oriented academics and students in marketing, geography, planning and tourism.

Focusing on the social impact of migration, this book explores migration as an inevitable part of rural development and transition in light of the sharp political divides in European and national political arenas on the topic. It provides an innovative immigration impact assessment based on recently conducted empirical work to enhance local development in European rural and remote regions, looking to promote change in the perception of migration and related policies and practices. The book concentrates on third country nationals (TCNs), considering the spaces in which TCNs settle down as both the input and output of a process of collective production of places. Chapters analyse how the particular traits of rural and remote contexts interact with TCNs’ integration paths and impact, looking at how demographic trends, socio-economic dynamics and migration patterns to a specific region affect the opportunities, policy responses, societal attitudes and perceptions towards TCNs. With empirically grounded recommendations and advice on strategies and solutions to improve the local governance of migration, this book will be a useful tool for European policymakers. It will also be an informative and interesting read for regional studies, governance and human geography scholars focusing on migration.

Elgar Research Agendas outline the future of research in a given area. Leading scholars are given the space to explore their subject in provocative ways, and map out the potential directions of travel. They are relevant but also visionary. Setting out a new, path-breaking research agenda for global rural development, this timely book offers an innovative and embedded rural social science capable of both understanding and enacting progress towards diverse and sustainable pathways. It relocates rural development at the heart of global trends associated with widespread but uneven urbanisation, climate change and severe resource depletion, rising population growth, density and inequality, and global political, economic and health crises. Chapters collapse traditional binary notions of development as north-south, rural-urban, global-local and traditional modern, embracing a revised conceptualisation of uneven development as a process dependent upon multiple theoretical and conceptual frameworks. It offers potential routes for substantive, interlinked research agendas, including new ruralities, governance, land rights, agro-ecology, financialisation, power relations, family farming, and the role of markets. Scholars of geography, planning, rural sociology and rural-urban studies looking for a broader understanding of the topic will find this book essential. It will also be beneficial for those engaged in rural development policy and practice.

This timely book explores how hiking, trekking and climbing mountains, increasingly popular leisure activities, can stimulate change and create opportunities for sustainable development. Using empirical evidence from interviews held in the Himalayas combined with a theoretical grounding, it focuses on the socio-economic and environmental issues of the impact of mountaineering adventure tourism on local communities. Chapters highlight the progressive stages of the host-guest interactions between local communities and tourists, moving from initial, indirect and final tourism development, and the unique sociocultural phenomena these create. The book examines how, with a planned and systematic approach, mountaineering can be a key factor in promoting an overall improvement in local people's quality of life through initiatives in economic development and environmental conservation. It offers a look towards the future to create sustainable tourism development in mountain regions. This is an invigorating read for adventure tourism and human geography scholars, particularly with the blend of theory and first-hand studies of local impacts of mountain tourism. It will also be an interesting read for industry representatives, policy makers and professionals in the field.

This insightful Modern Guide explores heterodox approaches to modern wellbeing research, with a specific focus on how wellbeing is understood and practised, exploring policies and actions which are taken to shape wellbeing. It evaluates contemporary trends in wellbeing research, including the sometimes competing definitions, methods and approaches offered by different disciplinary perspectives. Exploring the threats to wellbeing from the environments we inhabit and the situations societies create and endure, chapters particularly look at wellbeing inequalities and the experiences of marginalised groups, demonstrating the connection between wellbeing and political struggle. Provocative commentaries from leading scholars plus chapters on original theoretical developments and research studies across diverse world regions reveal wellbeing research based on situated practices, social differences and specific cultural contexts. This Modern Guide assesses the influence and impact of wellbeing research on policy and practice across a range of sectors and spaces, including: wellbeing budgeting, nature-based interventions, urban design, environmental resource management, prisons, housing, international migration, and post-conflict situations. This will be a useful read for scholars of human geography, social policy, urban studies, anthropology, political science and environmental economics. Policy makers will also appreciate the suggestions for improvement to wellbeing policies and practices.

This Modern Guide captures the evolution of foundational tenets, theories, frameworks and models that buttressed tourism economics into an evolving discipline, shining light on both new and old approaches. It systematically examines current and future trends and issues related to new economic perspectives, consolidating the notion of tourism economics as a discipline. Chapters delve into the theoretical underpinnings of specific topics within the field, providing a range of examples of how to leverage economic theories to better understand, manage, and promote tourism activities to different stakeholders. Offering a kaleidoscope of economic perspectives, the Modern Guide looks at tourism economics from trade theory, choice theory, behavioural economics, public choice, institutional economics, environmental economics, developmental economics, cultural economics and more, with each chapter ending with insights into future research and directions. Written in an accessible style, this will be an invigorating read for hospitality and tourism management scholars, as well as tourism geographies, tourism marketing and sustainable tourism students. It will also be a useful tool for tourism economists and applied economists looking for a wide range of perspectives on the topic.

Exploring the need for a sustainable transport paradigm, which has been sought after by local and national authorities internationally over the last 30 years, this illuminating and timely Handbook offers insights into how this can be secured more broadly and what it may involve, as well as the challenges that the sustainable transport approach faces. Drawing on a wide range of research and relevant case studies that showcase where the principles of sustainable transport have been, or could be, implemented, the Handbook offers readers a holistic understanding of the paradigm. Contributions showcase the evidence of the continued need for a sustainable transport approach, analyse its core principles, and, finally, discuss what it will take to achieve implementation, considering aspects such as behaviour change, accessibility, governance and politics. Offering a comprehensive overview across the many dimensions of sustainable transport, this Handbook will be an indispensable resource for transport, planning and urban studies scholars. It will also be a useful guide for planners and policy makers looking for advice to advance future practice.

Offering conceptual, empirical and policy contributions from leading international scholars in the field, this comprehensive Handbook investigates a broad range of innovations and new approaches to tourism aimed at enhancing sustainability. Examining the ongoing competitiveness that exists in 21st Century tourism within a global market environment, chapters expand the debate on how innovation can tackle current challenges including providing clean energy and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. With climate change and environmental degradation intensifying, this Handbook reviews the urgent system changes needed, as well as considering social dimensions in order to provide cohesion between innovation and tourism. Furthermore, it highlights the important role of policy and governance to allow collective action for the public good while paying greater attention to human values. Researchers and scholars of tourism studies, including tourism management and tourism geography, will find the suggested innovations and debates informative and illustrative. This innovative Handbook will also be an excellent guide for practitioners and policy-makers embedding new and improved 'ways of doing' to promote and provide for sustainable tourism.

Informed by the latest theoretical developments in studies of the social impacts of digital technology, Smart-Tech Society provides an empirically grounded and conceptually informed analysis of the impacts and paradoxes of smart-technology. While making life more convenient, smart-tech has also been associated with a loss of privacy and control over decision-making autonomy. Mark Whitehead and William Collier provide a critical analysis of the lived experience of smart-technology, presenting stories of varied social engagements with digital platforms and devices. Chapters explore the myriad contexts in and through which smart-tech insinuates itself within everyday life, the benefits it brings, and the processes through which it is being resisted. Detailed case studies explore the impacts of smart-technology across a broad range of fields including personal health, work, social life, urban management, and politics. Presenting new empirical evidence and analytical perspectives on the relationships between humans and smart-tech, this book will be of interest to academics and students in the fields of sociology, political science, human geography, and technology studies.

In this synthetic, interdisciplinary work, Neil Brenner develops a new interpretation of the transformation of statehood under contemporary globalizing capitalism. Whereas most analysts of the emergent, post-Westphalian world order have focused on supranational and national institutional realignments, 'New State Spaces' shows that strategic subnational spaces, such as cities and city-regions, represent essential arenas in which states are being transformed. Brenner traces the transformation of urban governance in western Europe during the last four decades and, on this basis, argues that inherited geographies of state power are being fundamentally rescaled. Through a combination of theory construction, historical analysis and cross-national case studies of urban policy change, 'New State Spaces' provides an innovative analysis of the new formations of state power that are currently emerging. This is a mature and sophisticated analysis by a major young scholar

Elgar Advanced Introductions are stimulating and thoughtful introductions to major fields in the social sciences, business and law, expertly written by the world's leading scholars. Designed to be accessible yet rigorous, they offer concise and lucid surveys of the substantive and policy issues associated with discrete subject areas. This Advanced Introduction provides a critical review and discussion of research concerning spatial statistics, differentiating between it and spatial econometrics, to answer a set of core questions covering the geographic-tagging-of-data origins of the concept and its theoretical underpinnings, conceptual advances, and challenges for future scholarly work. It offers a vital tool for understanding spatial statistics and surveys how concerns about violating the independent observations assumption of statistical analysis developed into this discipline. Key Features: A concise overview of spatial statistics theory and methods, looking at parallel developments in geostatistics and spatial econometrics, highlighting the eclipsing of centography and point pattern analysis by geostatistics and spatial autoregression, and the emergence of local analysis Contemporary descriptions of popular geospatial random variables, emphasizing one- and two-parameter spatial autoregression specifications, and Moran eigenvector spatial filtering coupled with a broad coverage of statistical estimation techniques A detailed articulation of a spatial statistical workflow conceptualization The helpful insights from empirical applications of spatial statistics in agronomy, criminology, demography, economics, epidemiology, geography, remotely sensed data, urban studies, and zoology/botany, will make this book a useful tool for upper-level students in these disciplines.

Offering insights on violence in conservation in Africa, this timely book demonstrates how and why the state pursues conservation objectives to the detriment of its citizens. It focuses on how the dehumanization of black people and indigenous groups, the insertion of global green agendas onto the continent, a lack of resource sovereignty, and neoliberal conservation account for why violence is a permanent feature of conservation in Africa. Chapters uncover various forms of violence experienced on the continent, revealing the local and global conditions that enable them, and propose pathways towards non-violent conservation. The book concludes that the ideology of conservation is also an ideology about people. Crucially, it highlights the implications of increasing investment in violent instruments and the institutionalization of militarized approaches for conservation, the state, and ordinary people. Scholars and students of political ecology and environmental policy and planning will greatly benefit from this book's drawing together of perspectives encompassing green violence and the militarization of conservation. It will also be an invigorating read for African studies researchers looking at coloniality and the re-evaluation of the African state, particularly through the lens of nature conservation.

Elgar Research Agendas outline the future of research in a given area. Leading scholars are given the space to explore their subject in provocative ways, and map out the potential directions of travel. They are relevant but also visionary. Illuminating the global food system as a highly dynamic set of interconnecting interests and sub-systems that drives rapid technological, societal, and cultural change, this cutting-edge Research Agenda examines the pressing issues that confront food systems, and the emerging responses to them. Chapters from internationally renowned specialists address the pressing issues facing food systems, including the growing concentration and power of large agri-food corporations, the contribution of food production to climate breakdown, the exploitation of agricultural labour, food poverty, and the reconfiguration of animal bodies. Reviewing possible 'solutions' chapters then examine the potential for a digital agricultural revolution, the contribution of alternative proteins in dietary change, and the emergence of regionalized and regenerative food systems. The book concludes with a look towards hybrid foodscapes, exploring how design can help us to re-imagine our stake in food systems of the future. Interdisciplinary, holistic, and accessible in its approach, this innovative book will prove vital to students and scholars engaged in the study of food - from production to consumption - as well as those concerned with policymaking in the fields of public health and nutrition, food governance, sustainability, and environmental advocacy.

Elgar Advanced Introductions are stimulating and thoughtful introductions to major fields in the social sciences, business and law, expertly written by the world's leading scholars. Designed to be accessible yet rigorous, they offer concise and lucid surveys of the substantive and policy issues associated with discrete subject areas. Highlighting the power of multi-dimensional demography, this Advanced Introduction addresses the most consequential changes in our societies and economies using quantitative approaches. It defines three demographic theories with predictive power - demographic metabolism, transition and dividend - and repositions the discipline at the heart of social science. Key features include: Discussion of alternative demographic scenarios in the context of sustainable development Introduction of national human resource management as the population policy for the 21st century An outline of how the significant demographic theories discussed form the building blocks of a Unified Demographic Theory An argument for cognitive changes as the primary driver of demographic transition rather than changing economic conditions, demonstrated by the impact of changing educational attainment structures. This Advanced Introduction is a must-read for demographers around the globe for its concise summary of the concepts, theories and power of multi-dimensional demography, as well as students of demography at all levels. It will also be useful to academics in other social sciences, including human geography, development studies and sociology scholars interested in what state-of-the-art demography has to offer their fields.

This timely Companion traces the interlinking histories of globalisation, gender, and migration in the 21st century, setting up a completely new agenda beyond Western research production. Natalia Ribas-Mateos and Saskia Sassen bring together 27 incisive contributions from leading international experts on gender and global migration, uncovering the multitude of economies, histories, families and working cultures in which local, regional, national, and global economies are embedded. Examining recent migratory flows and changing migration corridors across the globe, the Companion offers critical insights into the wider dynamics that compel people to migrate. Chapters address key topics relating to gender and global migration, from global cities and border regions, internal displacements, and humanitarian risks, to the changing face of care chains and labour, pandemic mobilities, expulsions from climate change and the weight of critical historical colonial studies in contemporary feminisms. The volume further explores extractivism, colonial images, the agrifood industry, qualified labour, remittances, cross-border trade, and extreme violence. Advancing a compelling range of forward-looking perspectives, this dynamic Companion establishes a novel agenda for future research on gender and global migration. Integrating empirical case studies with cutting-edge theory, The Elgar Companion to Gender and Global Migration will be an invaluable resource for a multidisciplinary audience of scholars across sociology, anthropology, geography, economics and political science, as well as migration and gender studies. Its themes will also be of significant interest to policymakers, administrators and grassroots organisations involved in emerging topics in migration studies.

The Handbook of Urban Segregation scrutinises key debates on spatial inequality in cities across the globe. It engages with multiple domains, including residential places, public spaces and the field of education. In addition, this comprehensive Handbook tackles crucial group-dimensions across race, class and culture as well as age groups, the urban rich, middle class, and gentrified households. In a 'world tour' of urban contexts, the reader is guided through six continents confronting pressing segregation issues. Leading international scholars offer valuable insights across regional, ethnic, socioeconomic and welfare regime contexts. Three thematic parts explore key segregation questions worldwide, the multiple domains and dimensions of the topic and the methods, approaches and debates surrounding its measurement. Through these lenses, this timely Handbook provides a key contribution to understanding what urban segregation is about, why it has developed, what its consequences are and how it is measured, conceptualised and framed. Containing clear use of visual aids alongside textual analysis, this Handbook will be an engaging and accessible resource for students and scholars with an interest in urban and human geography, cities and planning, and the wider field of urban studies. Contributors include: R. Andersson, R. Atkinson, N. Bailey, W.R. Boterman, A. Brama, A. Cardoso, R. Cucca, R. Forrest, D. Franca, F. Gou, H. Hanhoerster, H.K. Ho, C. Hochstenbach, P.A. Jargowsky, J. Kohlbacher, Z. Kovacs, C. Lemanski, Z. Li, A. Madanipour, T. Maloutas, E. Marques, S. Musterd, M. Oberti, J. OEsth, A. Owens, E. Preteceille, B. Randolph, U. Reeger, K.S. Tong, U. Turk, W. van Gent, J. van Rooyen, A. Walks, W. Wang, S. Weck

Elgar Advanced Introductions are stimulating and thoughtful introductions to major fields in the social sciences, business and law, expertly written by the world's leading scholars. Designed to be accessible yet rigorous, they offer concise and lucid surveys of the substantive and policy issues associated with discrete subject areas. Providing a timely overview of the main issues and scholarship in migration studies, Ronald Skeldon examines the principal methods of migration and offers in-depth guidance on trends and types of population movements in today's world. Key areas such as forced movements and refugees are considered, alongside more voluntary migration and the relationship between migration and development. The main approaches to migration policy are also reviewed. Key features include: a broad interdisciplinary approach to migration studies consideration of both internal and international migration a fresh look at future migration challenges a substantial review of the literature. This insightful Advanced Introduction will be an excellent resource for both graduates and undergraduates studying migration. It will also be a useful guide for researchers in government departments, international agencies and think tanks who are actively engaged in work on migration.

Elgar Research Agendas outline the future of research in a given area. Leading scholars are given the space to explore their subject in provocative ways, and map out the potential directions of travel. They are relevant but also visionary. Forward-looking and innovative, Elgar Research Agendas are an essential resource for PhD students, scholars and anybody who wants to be at the forefront of research. Exploring current debates on the topic, this book maps out an agenda for theory, research and practice about the role and function of small and medium-sized towns in various contexts and at different territorial scales. Chapters highlight new insights and approaches to studying small and medium-sized towns, moving beyond the 'urban bias' to provide nuanced thought on these spaces both in terms of their relation to larger cities, and in terms of implications related to their size. Contributions from top scholars in the field across a number of disciplines cover a broad range of relevant areas of study, including: socio-spatial identities, urbanization, suburbanization, resilience, innovation, entrepreneurship, industrial and tourism development and digitalization. The book concludes with an outline of the road ahead and a call for further theorizing. Urban planning and human geography scholars will find this to be an invigorating read with contributions from scholars across urban planning, economic geography, tourism and public policy providing a holistic understanding of the topic.

Elgar Research Agendas outline the future of research in a given area. Leading scholars are given the space to explore their subject in provocative ways, and map out the potential directions of travel. They are relevant but also visionary. This insightful Research Agenda examines the multidimensional relationship between heritage planning and pressing current societal challenges around climate, identity and development. Mapping future avenues for the field, it suggests new approaches to executing, studying and reflecting on heritage planning. Expert international contributors raise key questions that challenge practice and research to push for structural and institutional change, highlighting how heritage planning, conservation, and adaptive reuse have transformative potential - and the responsibilities that come with such potential. Chapters explore central topics including industrial heritage and conservation planning, digital reconstruction methods and remote sensing technologies, rural tourism, participation and heritage-led regeneration, as well as issues around contestation and politicization, and the conceptualisations of heritage planning. Spanning the domains of theoretical and empirical insights, from academic outlooks to professional challenges, this Research Agenda will be a vital resource for academics and students of urban and human geography, heritage studies, planning, urban design and architecture. Its examination of particular heritage projects will also be useful for policy makers and professionals working in the heritage planning field.

Compelling and engaging, this Handbook on Shrinking Cities addresses the fundamentals of shrinkage, exploring its causal factors, the ways in which planning strategies and policies are steered, and innovative solutions for revitalising shrinking cities. It analyses the multidimensional phenomena involved in processes of shrinkage, where cities experience a dramatic decline in their economic and social bases. Offering a timely response to the endurance of decline in cities across the globe, contributions from top scholars showcase a wide range of perspectives on the ongoing challenges of shrinkage. Chapters cover topics of 'governance', 'greening' and 'right-sizing', and 'regrowth', laying the relevant groundwork for the Handbook's proposals for dealing with shrinkage in the age of COVID-19 and beyond. Leading experts in the fields of urban and regional development contribute novel ideas pertinent to the future of shrinking cities, considering factors such as economic prosperity, liveability, social stability, and innovation, ultimately representing a paradigmatic shift from growth-centred planning to the notion of 'shrinking sustainably'. In suggesting strategies to reverse decline and generate newer, more robust development, this prescient Handbook will prove beneficial to scholars of human geography and urban planning. The wide range of case studies will also make this a vital read for planning practitioners.

Elgar Advanced Introductions are stimulating and thoughtful introductions to major fields in the social sciences, business and law, expertly written by the world's leading scholars. Designed to be accessible yet rigorous, they offer concise and lucid surveys of the substantive and policy issues associated with discrete subject areas. This Advanced Introduction is an accessible and critical review of the most important theories and concepts in the field of social movements and political protests. Karl-Dieter Opp precisely outlines the strengths and weaknesses of the different approaches and investigates how they can be unified into a structural-cognitive model. Key Features: Application of general action theory Investigation of the conditions for deterrence and concessions by autocracies Analysis of the influence of social networks and social media on protests and protesters Precise definitions of central concepts and clear formulation of explanatory hypotheses. This timely Advanced Introduction will be crucial reading for scholars interested in political participation, political protest, and social movements as well as those looking for an excellent introduction to this fascinating ever evolving area of study.

Elgar Advanced Introductions are stimulating and thoughtful introductions to major fields in the social sciences, business and law, expertly written by the world's leading scholars. Designed to be accessible yet rigorous, they offer concise and lucid surveys of the substantive and policy issues associated with discrete subject areas. With disasters increasing in both frequency and intensity, this timely Advanced Introduction provides a fresh perspective on how the concepts established in the Sendai Framework can be put into practice to reduce disaster risk, improve preparedness in cost-effective ways, and develop whole-of-society approaches to increasing resilience. Key Features: Provides evidence-informed coverage of the core areas of disaster risk reduction Identifies the implementation issues and challenges to anticipation, preparedness, evaluation and governance and the strategies that can be used to facilitate it Discusses individual and collective ways to manage recovery and to learn from disaster experiences and programmes such as Build Back Better to prepare people to deal with disasters more effectively in the future Incorporating research on preparedness modelling, evaluation strategies, adaptive governance, and transformative learning, this Advanced Introduction will be invaluable to students and scholars of environmental management, governance and regulation interested in disaster risk reduction. It will also be a vital resource to policymakers looking to strengthen their disaster preparedness and recovery measures.

Elgar Research Agendas outline the future of research in a given area. Leading scholars are given the space to explore their subject in provocative ways, and map out the potential directions of travel. They are relevant but also visionary. Housing issues have become a defining feature of our time. The capacity to affordably, securely, and sustainably house a growing, urbanizing population has become a pressing issue for policy makers worldwide. A Research Agenda for Housing sets the tone for debates relating to housing, featuring cutting-edge research from leading and emerging scholars. This impressive work seeks to understand the complexity of housing through the lens of its most pertinent debates. Using examples and case studies from around the world, the contributors tackle housing rights, financialization, mortgage markets, public housing, sustainability, and affordability policies, considering housing in its larger societal and historical contexts. With a strong focus on the practical implications of housing research, this diverse book takes a critical approach to housing research, seeking to dissect and understand the nuances of homeownership, renting, liveability and vulnerability in the 21st century. Featuring a broad summary of the state of knowledge of housing, this book is vital reading for both established scholars and graduates of urban studies and planning in need of an overview of the current state of housing research. Public policy makers from across the world will also benefit from the policy implications and recommendations provided by the contributors.