Global Cities Documentary (copy)

Urbanization

The process of population growth and migration from rural areas to urban areas, resulting in the expansion and development of cities.

Infrastructure

The basic physical and organizational structures and facilities needed for the operation of a society or enterprise, such as buildings, roads, bridges, and power supply.

Emerging economies

Developing countries with rapidly growing economies and increasing industrialization, often characterized by a shift from agriculture to manufacturing and services.

Urban slums

Informal settlements characterized by inadequate housing, lack of basic services, and high levels of poverty and inequality.

Economic development

The process of improving the economic well-being and quality of life of a country or region through the growth of industries, businesses, and infrastructure.

Global networks

Interconnected systems of communication, transportation, and exchange that span across countries and continents, facilitating the flow of ideas, goods, services, and people.

Connectivity

The state or extent of being connected or interconnected, often referring to the ease and speed of communication and transportation between different places.

Governance

The system or process of governing and managing a city, region, or country, including decision-making, policy implementation, and administration.

Neolithic Revolution

The transition from a nomadic, hunter-gatherer lifestyle to settled agriculture and the development of permanent settlements, marking a major shift in human civilization.

Industrial Revolution

A period of rapid industrialization, technological advancements, and social changes that occurred in the 18th and 19th centuries, leading to the transformation of economies and societies.

Industrial Age

The period characterized by the use of machines and artificial energy sources, leading to the development of large-scale industrial machinery and mass production processes.

Nation-state

A political and social unit characterized by a centralized government and defined territorial borders, closely associated with the development of industrial economies.

Infrastructure

The basic physical and organizational structures and facilities needed for the operation of a society or enterprise, such as transportation networks, communication systems, and power supply.

Globalization

The process of creating global systems of economic, social, and technological organization.
The increasing interconnectedness and interdependence of countries and economies worldwide, facilitated by advancements in technology and communication.

Services economy

An economic system where the majority of economic activity is focused on the provision of services, such as finance, healthcare, and education, rather than the production of goods.

Information economy

An economic system where the production, distribution, and consumption of information and knowledge play a central role, enabled by advancements in information technology.

Urban networks

Systems of technology, including roads, communication networks, power lines, and transportation systems, that enable connectivity and facilitate the movement of resources and people within and between cities.
Cities that are distributed and interconnected within a larger geography, spanning hundreds of kilometers and crossing national borders.

Post-industrial economy

An economic system characterized by a shift away from traditional manufacturing and industry towards services, information, and knowledge-based sectors.

Urban centers

Dense concentrations of connectivity that function as hubs within regional networks, linking the locality into larger networks of exchange.

Global cities

Urban centers that provide the services for integrating the whole network of worldwide networks of finance and logistics.

Nodes

Urban centers that become part of the global network of cities and provide critical mass of advanced services for the world economy.

Connectivity

Overlapping and intersecting flows of ideas, knowledge, people, money, and goods between urban centers.

Global connectivity

The interconnectedness of urban centers in various networks of exchange, shaping the operations of the global economy.

Urban transformation

The reconfiguration of territory and organizational principles to enable global information and services networks in urban centers.

Financialization

The process of investment in urban development driven by global financial systems, blurring the lines between private and public and prioritizing the logic of finance.

Governance structures

The organizational paradigms needed to structure and enable the new kind of global and local space in urban centers.

Mega cities

Urban centers with a population of more than 10 million people, consuming large amounts of land and resources.

Density

The closeness and concentration of people and activities in an urban environment, which can impact sustainability and vulnerability to climate change.

Suburbanization

Low-density urban development with a dependence on car ownership, contributing to energy consumption and climate change.

Vulnerabilities

The weaknesses and risks faced by populations in sprawling, centralized urban systems, particularly in the face of climate change impacts.

Randstad area

A large urban network in northern Europe, connecting Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and The Hague.

Pearl Delta region

A large urban network in southern China, connecting Hong Kong, Shenzhen, and Guangzhou.

Anthropocene

The current geological age characterized by significant human impact on the biosphere.

Sustainability

The challenge of developing engineered environments that merge the natural and artificial to create synergies and manage resources efficiently.

City density

The level of population and infrastructure concentration in urban areas.

Multifunctional urban environments

Compact and well-designed urban areas that serve multiple purposes and are ecologically connected.

Urban systems

Strategically densified and distributed urban areas interconnected with efficient mass transit.

Middle-income status

Reaching a level of economic development that allows for a higher standard of living.

GDP

Gross Domestic Product, a measure of a country's economic output.

Earth's economic center of gravity

The shift in economic power from developed economies to urban areas in developing economies.

Slums

Informal settlements within urban areas characterized by inadequate infrastructure and basic services.

Inclusive growth

Achieving economic growth that benefits all segments of society and reduces inequality.

Spatial divisions

Divisions within cities characterized by unequal access to resources and opportunities.

Environmental degradation

The deterioration of the natural environment due to human activities.

Vulnerability

The susceptibility of social systems and technology infrastructure to environmental changes and shocks.