Book Description

Buenos Aires is a city of fascinating contrasts. The most southerly of the world's great metropolises, it absolutely dominates the Argentine urban system, but is relatively isolated from the rest of Latin America and the global economic and political system. The archetypal elegance and social sophistication of "the Paris of the South" is set against problems of poor housing, social deprivation and suburban sprawl. As Argentina struggles to maintain a democracy, the future stability of the region depends on how this vital, varied and vulnerable city comes to terms with the need to restructure in the face of economic, environmental and demographic crises. The examination of restructuring processes in Buenos Aires is organised around four major themes: economic change, accessibility and mobility, environmental impacts and cultural adjustments. The book begins with an overview of the city's four hundred year history which forms the basis for an examination of the contemporary urban landscape. This leads to an analysis of local politics in relation to planning and housing policies which is followed by a consideration of changes in the city's economic structures and an examination of Buenos Aires' national, regional and global transport links. The book then turns to a detailed look at the city's urban transport networks and surveys the city's green spaces, environmental problems and health care systems. It also provides a detailed analysis of the cultural geography of Buenos Aires and the implications for the "Latin-Americanizing" of a city that was traditionally the most European of the South American cities. The book concludes with some suggestions for future planning policies in Buenos Aires. David J. Keeling provides a highly illustrated and authoritative portrait of a major World City. It is essential reading for students of urban and regional geography, Latin American specialists of all disciplines and social scientists interested in urban issues.