Social / Demographics

This analysis from Nigeria's Daily Independent looks at the challenges facing Lagos, the country's biggest city, as it grows into a global mega-city.

February 24, 2010 - Daily Independent

Census takers in New York City will face the tough challenge of tracking down people living in often illegally-built and hard to find small rooms and apartments.

February 24, 2010 - The New York Times

This article from The Prospect looks at slums and squatter cities. Author Stewart Brand, editor of the Whole Earth Catalog, calls them "unexpectedly green".

February 24, 2010 - Prospect

As sea levels rise and flooding threatens the foundations on which the city was built, the Indonesian capital of Jakarta is literally sinking into the sea. Now the president is pushing a plan to find a new home for the country's capital.

February 23, 2010 - Agence France Presse

Sharon Zukin's new book takes a different look at the urbanity championed in Jane Jacobs' seminal book "The Death and Life of Great American Cities", arguing that gentrification is tearing up the authenticity of places.

February 23, 2010 - The New York Times

The American Enterprise Institute looks closely at how migration patterns have changed state-by-state through the last couple of years of recession.

February 23, 2010 - The American Enterprise Institute

The major cities in South Africa are busy building new bus rapid transit systems to improve the way their residents get around. But in Johannesburg, the new system is having a rocky start.

February 22, 2010 - The New York Times

February 22, 2010 - Richard A. Marcantonio

This post from Next American City looks at Vancouver's homelessness problem and the public outreach effort underway to bring attention and solutions to the problem.

February 20, 2010 - Next American City

A small city outside of Bogota, Colombia, has been overrun by stray dogs. With more than 30,000 strays on the streets, the city's mayor is calling for them to be killed.

February 19, 2010 - Los Angeles Times

Resilience science has typically been applied to ecosystems. But now, scientists are starting to look at how it relates to cities.

February 18, 2010 - Seed

Richard Florida wades through the newly released results of the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, which looks at emotional and physical health in 52 of America's biggest metropolitan areas.

February 17, 2010 - The Atlantic

Architectural historian Keith Eggener draws a fascinating connection between the film Death Wish and architecture -- and also links the movie's main character with Robert Moses.

February 17, 2010 - Places

As homelessness rises in cities and suburbs across the country, local municipalities are trying to get the newly homeless back into homes as quickly as they can.

February 13, 2010 - Governing

We may not be driving flying cars, but the futuristic city is here -- in the form of a more intimate connections, communication technologies and social interactions. Former Planetizen Managing Editor Christian Madera discusses.

February 13, 2010 - Next American City

As the Winter Olympics kick off in Vancouver, the city has been named the world's "most livable city".

February 12, 2010 - Reuters

A new demographic tool from the USDA compiles data about food choices and characteristics, allowing the creation of detailed maps. Edible Geography wonders what using food as a metric will tell us about the U.S.

February 12, 2010 - Edible Geography

Grist takes a look at the Olympic city of Vancouver, and lists some of its greenest attributes, and some of its less-than-green downfalls.

February 12, 2010 - Grist

Kyla Fullenwider offer ten simple ideas to improve the livability of your block.

February 10, 2010 - Good

Americans are starting to value experiences over things, according to a new poll. Nearly half of Americans report spending less time purchasing non-essential goods, while many are spending more time on friends, family, and hobbies.

February 9, 2010 - New York Times