Intermediate cities: urban poles serving their region
© 2019 CODEV - Montes Claros, Minas Gerais, Brazil
New contribution on “intermediate cities” by Jean-Claude Bolay (CODEV) and Abigaïl-Laure Kern (Essential Tech) in the Wiley Blackwell Encyclopedia of Urban and Regional Studies.
The Wiley Blackwell Encyclopedia of Urban and Regional Studies is considered as the definitive reference work covering central and emergent topics in the field, through an examination of urban and regional conditions and variation across the world. It also provides authoritative entries on the main conceptual tools used by anthropologists, sociologists, geographers, and political scientists in the study of cities and regions. Among such concepts are those of place and space; geographical regions; the nature of power and politics in cities; urban culture; and many others. With over 450 entries on the most important topics and from a range of theoretical perspectives, it is an indispensable support for students and researchers in urban and regional studies, urban sociology, urban geography, and urban anthropology.
In their contribution on “intermediate cities”, Jean-Claude Bolay (CODEV) and Abigaïl-Laure Kern (Essential Tech) open up the definition of medium-sized cities to include not only spatial and demographic criteria, but also economic, social and institutional functions that link these cities with their surrounding suburban/rural environment. An intermediate city can thus be described according to a number of characteristics and three spheres of influence: the micro-regional, national and international scales. Three positions can be identified for these cities: “affected ” intermediate cities that have an important position in their territory; “satellite” intermediate cities that are near larger cities; and “remote” intermediate cities that are distinguished by a more closed system vis-à-vis the outside world, given their remoteness. Because of their characteristics, intermediate cities should become the focus of regional planning in order to improve the management of urban growth and the territorial balance between city and country.
Links:
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/book/10.1002/9781118568446 (book)
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/9781118568446.eurs0163 (chapter JCB AK)