Urban Studies Publications
Reflections on the Planning of Old and New Cities in the USSR (1979)
Apr 11, 2013Washington, D.C.: Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars; Kennan Institute Occasional Paper Series #80, 1979. PDF 22 pages. more
The Challenges of the 21st Century City
Dec 07, 2012In 2008, for the first time in history, more than half of all human beings lived in cities. Although megacities with populations over 10 million, such as Tokyo, Mexico City, and São Paulo, are widely recognized, most urban growth is taking
place in so-called medium-size cities of between 1 million and 5 million.This reality changes how policymakers in every sphere can pursue their goals. more
The National Broadband Map: A Case Study on Open Innovation for National Policy
Nov 06, 2012A whitepaper on the policy and technology behind the National Broadband Map, an open-source geographic information systems application allowing users to access detailed statistics on internet connectivity. This project demonstrates the value of transparency, collaboration, and cooperation in government projects. more
Changing Cities: Climate, Youth, and Land Markets in Urban Areas
Aug 29, 2012Recognizing a need to strengthen the ties between urban policymaking and scholarly work on urban development, and to disseminate evidence-based programming, the Woodrow Wilson Center’s Comparative Urban Studies Project, USAID’s Urban Programs Team, the International Housing Coalition, Cities Alliance, and the World Bank came together in 2010 to co-sponsor an academic paper competition for graduate students studying urban issues.
The success of the 2010 competition led to the expansion of the competition in 2011 and publication of the top papers. In this third year, the focus is on three topics: climate change, youth, and land markets. A panel of urban experts representing the sponsoring institutions reviewed over 70 abstract submissions, from which 15 were invited to write full-length papers. Of these, eight were selected for this publication. more
Urals Pathfinder: Theatre in Post-Soviet Yekaterinburg
Nov 21, 2011Washington, D.C.: Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars; Kennan Institute Occasional Paper Series #307, 2011. PDF 40 pages. more
Reducing Urban Poverty: A New Generation of Ideas
Nov 01, 2011Recognizing a need to develop and strengthen urban-focused practitioner and policymaking ties with academia, and disseminate evidence-based development programming, CUSP, USAID's Urban Programs Team, the International Housing Coalition, the World Bank, and Cities Alliance teamed up to co-sponsor a second academic paper competition for graduate students studying urban issues. Six winning papers were selected for this publication to highlight the new research and innovative thinking of the next generation of urban planners, practitioners, and policymakers. more
Finding the Source: Urbanization and Intersectoral Competition for Water
Jul 07, 2011This article examines the implications of urbanization for intersectoral competition over water, not only in technical or economic terms, but also in terms of political and social dynamics as well as the possibilities to meet the water needs of growing cities. more
Community Resilience: A Cross-Cultural Study
Jul 07, 2011This report draws from the dialogue and seminar papers shared at a December 2008 meeting co-hosted by the Wilson Center and the Fetzer Institute to explore conditions that promote resilience and examine compelling examples of community resilience worldwide. more
Transnational Migration to New Regional Centers: Policy Challenges, Practice, and the Migrant Experience
Jul 07, 2011Washington, D.C.: Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars; Kennan Institute and Comparative Urban Studies Eurasian Migration Paper #2, 2008. PDF 168 pages. more
Population, Urbanization, Environment, and Security: A Summary of the Issues
Jul 07, 2011Th author addresses issues including migration to urban centers, the immediate environmental and health impacts of urban pollution on developing country cities, and the link between crime and security. more
