Working Capital Life and Labour in Contemporary London
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Nick Buck, Ian Gordon, Peter Hall, Michael Harlow, Mark Kleinman<p><strong>'<em>Working Capital</em> is an essential read for many people; indeed all involved in the developing the future of London.'</strong> - <em>Built Environment</em></p><p><strong>'The book moves effortlessly through its many topics... [it] approaches critically some of the most-debated concepts of urban theory and policy with a strong empirical grounding and does so in an engaging and stimulating manner, relevant for practitioners, academics and students.'</strong> <em>- Urban Studies</em></p>
<p><strong>'<em>Working Capital</em> is an essential read for many people; indeed all involved in the developing the future of London.'</strong> - <em>Built Environment</em></p><p><strong><em>'</em>[An] extensive, thoroughly grounded and well-conducted study of current life and labour in London...<br />...</strong><strong><em>Working Capital: Life and Labour in Contemporary London</em> approaches critically some of the most-debated concepts of urban theory and policy with a strong empirical grounding and does so in an engaging and stimulating manner, relevant for practitioners, academics and students.' -</strong> <em>Gesa Helms, Urban Studies Vol 42, April 2005</em></p>
For decades the cities of the developed world were seen as problem-beset relics from times of low mobility and slow communications. But now, their potential to sustain creativity, culture and innovation is perceived as crucial to success in a much more competitive global ecomony. The vital requirement to secure and sustain this success is argued to be the achievement of social cohesion.
Working Capital provides a rigorous but accessible analysis of these key issues taking London as its test case. The book provides the first substantial analysis of key economic, social and structural issues that the new London administration needs to deal with. In a wider context, its critical assessment of the bases of the new urbanism and of the global city thesis will raise questions both about the adequacy of urban thinking and about the capacity of new institutions alone to resolve the fundamental problems faced by cities.