Globalization

The High Cost of Cool Air
Air conditioning has drastically changed modern life and the ways cities have developed. But, the environmental consequences are immense, and it’s time to cut back.

Around the Globe, Urban Diversity Is Alive and Well
It might feel like the world is shrinking as globalization expands, but many cities still have their individual characters and qualities.

Expert Voices 2019: Why Cities?
As cities define our world in new ways every day, Penn Institute for Urban Research asked nearly dozen urban experts, “Why cities?”

Is the Urban-Suburban Divide Destined to Disappear?
In a new book, Hans Westlund and Tigran Haas argue that the global knowledge economy is radically reshaping urban development. Eventually, they say, it'll render meaningless our present notions of "urban," "suburban," and "rural."
Friday Eye Candy: Everyday Everywhere
#Everydayeverywhere is an Instagram hashtag connecting ordinary photographs from all over the world, which Nicole Crowder covered recently for the Washington Post's photography blog, In Sight.
Can Mayors Help Architects Stay Relevant?
According to an opinion piece by Mimi Zeiger, "urban magistrates are appearing more frequently as personas on the architectural scene as designers tackle questions of the fate of the city." What can design-savvy mayors offer architects?
London Property Values Tied to Global Events
A new study out of Oxford’s Saïd Business School provides evidence of the influence of external factors, such as foreign wars and environmental crises, on the London housing market.
Reconsidering Toronto's Suburbs
Toronto's suburbs have often been dismissed as bland and banal. A closer look, however, reveals a diverse, complex landscape whose rapid changes have profound implications for the metropolis as a whole.
Does Urbanization Make Nations Less Relevant?
In the pre-modern era, city-states were the engines of global trade and diplomacy. As rapid urbanization drives globalization outside the structures of international frameworks, cities are returning to the fore as transnational actors.
China's Cities Hold the Key to the World's Future
In a globalized world, China's economic, environmental and urban development has implications for us all, posits Henry M. Paulson Jr. The problems the country faces, and any potential solutions, revolve around its approach to urbanization.
Why Place Matters
In the era of globalization and increased connectivity, which was once predicted to loosen our bonds to place, Saffron Woodcraft argues that cities have become more, not less, significant.
Cities are Machines for Emancipation
In an interview with the Journal of International Affairs, Rem Koolhaas discusses the effects of globalization on architectural practice and cultural identity, and what city he thinks will be the "Rosetta Stone" of the 21st century.
The Risks and Opportunities of Globalization as Reflected in Homeownership
Jonathan Massey pens an essay in the journal Places, in which he probes the implications of homeownership as the vehicle by which the microeconomics of household finance and the macroeconomics of a globalized economy are mediated.
A Case Study of Apple Shows Why The US Can't Compete Globally
Apple's decision to performs most of its engineering and manufacturing overseas, highlights how the US government and the US manufacturing industry can no longer compete internationally. " 'Made in the U.S.A.' is no longer a viable option."
The Changing Role of Globalized Cities
National Geographic Traveler talks with urban theorist Richard Florida about the changing roles of cities, and the emerging centers of economic prosperity.
The Rise And Fall of Cities
Victor David Hanson uses a broad historical perspective to examine the causes of the rise and fall of former world cities. He argues that the computer driven, global age will accelerate the process of growth and decline.
The Inside Story of Sign Design
Slate continues its series on wayfinding with the little-known story of the symbolic conflicts among the U.S., the former Soviet Union and Japan over how to direct people in a time of crisis.
Why Are Cities Growing?
With globalization meaning goods can be shipped cheaply anywhere, and the internet means you can work anywhere, why are cities growing like crazy? Prof. Edward L. Glaeser of Harvard says that proximity breeds innovation.
Reverse Globalization May Bring Manufacturing Back to Mexico
Outsourcing work to China has gotten costlier due to increasing fuel and labor costs. As a result, some American companies are pondering a return to Mexico to manufacture their goods instead.
Is Globalization Slowing?
Alex Steffen of WorldChanging proposes that globalization could soon change direction as transportation costs increase.
Pagination
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Brookings
City of White Salmon
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
M-NCPPC Prince George's County Planning Department
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service