Wiley-Blackwell Confronting Suburbanization: Urban Decentralization in Postsocialist Central and Eastern Europe (IJURR Studies in Urban and Social Change Book Series)

This fascinating book explains the processes of suburbanization in the context of post-socialist societies transitioning from one system of socio-spatial order to another. Case studies of seven Central and Eastern Europe city regions illuminate growth patterns and key conditions for the emergence of sprawl.Breaks new ground, offering a systematic approach to the analysis of the global phenomenon of suburbanization in a post-socialist contextTracks the boom of the post-socialist suburbs in seven CEE capital city regions – Budapest, Ljubljana, Moscow, Prague, Sofia, Tallinn, and WarsawSituates the experience of the CEE countries in the broader context of global urban changeCase studies examine the phenomenon of suburbanization along four main vectors of analysis related to development patterns, driving forces, consequences and impacts, and management of suburbanizationHighlights the critical importance of public policies and planning on the spread of suburbanization Review ‘This book provides a wealth of novel insights into a process that has received very little systematic attention in among researchers and policy-makers alike: the vast process of urban dispersal unfolding throughout European countries situated east of the former Iron Curtain. Moving seamlessly across a wide range of geographical contexts – from the urbanization of the countryside seen around Ljubljana to Moscow’s regional suburbanization model – the authors demonstrate an acute ability to detect the local nuances and generic trends that characterize such dynamics. This edited collection can thus serve as both a foundational text for scholars as well as a guidance document for practitioners and decision-makers.’ Stefan Bouzarovski, Professor of Geography and Director of the Centre for Urban Resilience and Energy, University of Manchester ‘Confronting Suburbanization sheds a bright light on the processes of contemporary metropolitan growth in a fascinating region with a long and rich urban history, and communist legacies which formed a springboard for unprecedented post-socialist dynamics. In this volume, a set of renowned international authors with close local knowledge try to untangle the complexities resulting from both external and internal forces - political reform, economic liberalization, social and demographic context - as they manifest themselves in terms of metropolitan development. The authors offer numerous insights, and clearly note that there is much both East and West can learn from this dynamic environment where intensified societal and physical transformation is happening before our eyes.’            Zorica Nedovic-Budic, Professor Chair of Spatial Planning, University College Dublin From the Inside Flap Since the collapse of the communist regime in Central and Eastern Europe, cities in the former socialist countries have entered a period of dramatic transformation. One of the most important processes in the ensuing frenetic rearrangement of urban space has been the dispersal of urban functions beyond the edges of the compact city into territories that experienced very little development during the socialist years.Post-socialist metropolitan growth has been characterized by fragmented spatial patterns broadly associated with urban sprawl and its controversial environmental, economic, and social consequences. This fascinating book explores and explains the processes of suburbanization in the specific context of post-socialist societies transitioning from one system of socio-spatial order to another. The process is tracked through case studies of seven post-socialist capital city regions – Budapest, Ljubljana, Moscow, Prague, Sofia, Tallinn, and Warsaw, where the forces of urban decentralization have been the strongest during the last twenty years. By highlighting the swift trajectory of suburbanization in Central and Eastern Europe, the contributors illuminate key conditions for the emergence and proli