The European system of capital cities

Capital cities reflect the nature and organization of the states they control. Their functional role is higher in centralized systems, societies where the state is the source of all legitimacy, and countries using Continental Law. It is lower in federal systems, pillarized societies and countries, which are ruled according to a Common Law. The symbolic status of capital cities is higher when the state is the source of all legitimacy, lower in consociationalist societies. Theses processes were responsible for the development of two types of political capital cities and one type of economic and cultural capital cities during the nineteenth century. A partial standardization of the functions and statuses of capital cities occurred later. The European Union is neither a state nor a super-state since its main responsibilities are still in the economic field, it lacks a huge administrative bureaucracy and does not have definitive territorial limits. The European Union has officially three capital cities, Strasbourg, Luxembourg and Brussels. The really important one is Brussels. Its functions are nevertheless quite different from those of national capital cities during the first half of the twentieth century. European capital cities are thriving because most of them managed to become economic metropolises. The result is that the European Union has a complex and rapidly evolving system of capital cities.     

Brussels: Five capitals in search of a place. The citizens, the planners and the functions

The paper describes the different capital city functions that are accomodated in Brussels. There are in fact five different capitals in Brussels in search of a place. Their locations are conditioned by Brussels' eventful history. The analysis subsequently focuses on the rather negative relation between the local public intellectuals and the city's European capital functions. The location of the European headquarters within the existing urban fabric – unlike Luxemburg and Strasbourg – has caused residential expulsion and further confrontations with the local community during all expansions.Brussels has the most politically decisive institutions. The competition with Luxemburg and Strasbourg has in the past given rise to dubious building processes and hidden agendas regarding the further construction of the necessary space for Europe.Unlike most other capitals Brussels has a low degree of esteem from its citizens. The After-May 68- Movement reacting initially against the CIAM-realisations during the 1970s, continues its activities up until today against two highly symbolic projects: the North Station area called the Manhattan Quarter and the European Headquarters. The movement launched the term Brusselization on the international forum and continues to promote the negative image of its city – notwithstanding the complete change of the official urban planning.The article is a plea for the integration of the actual one-sided advocacy planning within a more comprehensive urban planning approach where strong and soft functions are more in balance. This can also improve the quality of the new European campus now under consideration to accomodate the entry of the East European states in the Union.     

Social-geographical problems of a metropolitan region within a Soviet Republic (a case study of the Tbilisi metropolitan region, Georgia, U.S.S.R.)

While the capital city and its surrounding territory often forms the most important nodal region in any country, this very nodality may give rise to social problems. In the case of the Tbilisi metropolitan region, Georgia, U.S.S.R., social development has been conditioned by such factors as the Soviet centralized economic management system, administrative control of population in-migration, state ownership of land, and the tendency towards hyperurbanization. For most Georgians Tbilisi is the republic's most attractive city, and it is in actual fact the leading city in terms of material welfare. Nevertheless, the metropolitan region suffers from a number of concrete social problems whose significance is analysed by means of an opinion poll of metropolitan region inhabitants and a comparative poll conducted in a rural area. While some problems such as retail trade deficiency and the low quality of consumer goods appear to cause universal concern, others such as housing provision and design, ecological problems and social pathology (crime, alcoholism, drug abuse, prostitution) cause greater anxiety among metropolitan residents. It is hoped that recent policies of decentralization and economic reform will help solve some of these difficulties.     

The relationship between administrative hierarchy position and city size development in China

China's urbanization process in the past 20 years has drawn much academic attention, and as a result, many attempts to explain the uniqueness of China's urbanization have emerged. Some argued that Tolley's model (1987), the well known theory explaining global urbanization, or the `Murray-Szelenyi' thesis (1984), which focus on the investigation of urbanization in socialist countries, can be applied in China. Most western literature, however, claimed either a `rural-bias' or an `urban-bias' from the state took place in China's urbanization process. This paper suggests another perspective in the analysis of this process, as it argues that it was the state bias for the allocation of production and human resources in the cities of higher hierarchical ranking that is behind China's urbanization. The objective of the paper is to test it through two hypotheses. The first hypothesis suggests that the higher the city is in the urban hierarchy, the more population it has; and the second argues the higher administrative position a city has, the better social and economic performance it will show. Using statistical data to validate these two hypotheses, this paper attempts to justify the role of `state-bias' of resources allocation and the dominance of the administrative hierarchy in China's urbanization process. Lastly, the paper argues, the state itself is a major factor or source for China's urbanization development.     

The relocation of Nigeria's Federal Capital: A device for greater territorial integration and national unity

As an important feature in the political geography of a country, the location of the capital of a state is of great significance especially as any geographical forces which have affected the political history of a country reach their most intensive expression in the choice of site for the development of the capital city. The decision to relocate it is usually an exceedingly tough one to make and difficult to follow up. In the post-colonial era, Nigeria like many newly independent African States inherited a capital which is central in respect of international trade but eccentric in relation to the country's administrative and cultural hinterlands. Lagos is a typical example. Although the city continues to function as the federal capital, a new site has been selected for its relocation prompted by administrative and political considerations, physical limitations, and the numerous problems resulting from excessive concentration of the nation's resource there. It is hoped that the new site in the country's geometric centre will bring a long-dormant region into effective settlement by spurring a central migration that will open new agricultural frontiers, create a more equitable distribution of population and above all foster the growth of a core region in and around which the state idea could develop.     

Choosing a site for the capital of Europe

The European Union has achieved internal cohesion and international economic recognition, but economics alone has not yet led to a united Europe. Although this cohesiveness strongly influence regions and cities, and cities have started to refer to their European background, the member nations continue to hold regional and urban planning power. Forced to take unanimous decisions, the European Council of Ministers maintained the doctrine of a unique capital for 40 years, provoking numerous urban and architectural visions while simultaneously accepting the existence of three provisional headquarters, Brussels, Strasbourg and Luxembourg. The host nations, Belgium, France and Luxembourg meanwhile oriented these cities to both European economic considerations and local needs.This article analyzes the logic that led to decentralization of the capital city functions, the reasons why cities were interested in hosting the European Communities, what individual cities and nations suggested and why the most obvious solutions were not adopted. The Maastricht Treaty, the ongoing strengthening of European and regional institutions, and the choice of the provisional headquarters as definite capitals in 1992 gives cause for hope that concepts based on European and regional necessities beyond the nation-state will now be elaborated. A European network of cities and regions including the three political capitals of Europe, as revealed by their infrastructures and buildings, seems to be the best expression of the meaning of European unity.     

北京市地质环境监测现状及对策研究

分析了北京市开展地质环境监测的必要性,介绍了北京市地勘局对北京市地质环境监测工作战略:"首都地质资源环境承载能力监测预警平台建设工程",总结了北京市地质环境监测现状及存在的不足,对未来北京市地质环境监测工作提出了编制北京市地质环境监测规划、做好监测网络技术支撑工作、逐步建设和完善北京市地质环境监测体系的对策。     

Spatial policies towards the Seoul Capital Region

This paper describes and evaluates the impact of spatial policies towards the Capital Region of Korea (the Seoul Capital Region hereafter). Following the introductory section, the second section presents an overview of trends of concentrations of people and employment in the Seoul Capital Region since 1960. The evolution of spatial policies and the major policy instruments employed is described together with an assessment of the validity of the perception of excessive concentration in the Region. In the third section, the impact of spatial polices towards the Seoul Capital Region is evaluated based on new empirical evidence as well as findings from previous studies. The impact of policies on the spatial distribution of jobs and populations between the Seoul Capital Region and the rest of the country, as well as that of specific policies such as green belts, and the new towns project is analyzed. The section ends with a discussion of public opinion on spatial policies revealed through recent surveys. The last section addresses the political economy of spatial policies and concludes with thoughts on the way forward considering the changing environment for spatial policies.     

The (ir)relevance of geography for school choice: Evidence from a Swedish choice experiment

The increased opportunity to choose one’s school of preference has been raised as a key factor in many countries to promote equal opportunities and a higher quality of education. This has been endorsed by policymakers who assume that students make well-informed rational choices and that students stress only academic quality when deciding which school to attend. If this is true, it will benefit schools of high academic quality, rendering improved school quality overall. To date, little research has examined the validity of these assumptions despite the profound effects they have had for changing the school systems in many countries. This article describes an experiment to investigate the relative importance of factors in school choice. The aim is to test the validity of the theoretical assumptions that guided the school choice reforms in Sweden. Specifically, we draw on experimental data from prospective upper secondary school students in Sweden to contrast the principal school quality attributes behind the policy change (knowledge reputation and program feasibility), with the presence of friends and geographical attributes such as distance, location and accessibility, while controlling for individual characteristics. The results have important policy implications as they show that geographical factors are highly relevant for school choice preferences. In contrast to the reforms’ intentions, geography appears to have become more important than ever before. The findings thus reveal significant flaws in the assumptions that motivated the school choice policy reform.     

Jerusalem – Figment of the imagination

Jewish tradition refers to the city of Jerusalem in both abstract and concrete terms, celestial Jerusalem and earthly Jerusalem. The two are intricately bound up with each other and Jerusalem, the eternal capital city of the Jewish people, derives its powerful mystique, from its original appearance in Jewish history, although Biblical Jerusalem, the ancient city surrounded by hills, and modern Jerusalem, the capital city of Israel, surrounded by satellite urban appendages, lack geographical congruity. In general, this is geo-politically relevant given the potent sensitivities that most Jews in Israel and elsewhere have for the symbolic value of their ancient capital. Significantly, most of the Arab inhabitants the capital city of Israel, are not Israeli citizens and the vast majority of them refuse to participate in municipal elections, even though Israeli law allows non-citizens who are permanent residents to vote in local elections. That Israel permits several countries to maintain separate consulates, in the western and eastern parts of Israel's capital, indicates Israel's implicit recognition of a dual status in Jerusalem. After the 1967 war, while careful to avoid using the formal language of annexation, Israel generally considered that east Jerusalem and some surrounding areas had become part of Israel, when by Basic Law: Jerusalem, the Capital City, it was declared to be the united and eternal capital of the State of Israel. This paper examines these political and legal developments.     

Marginalisation and revolt among the Tuareg in Mali and Niger

The article is dealing with the origins, causes and forms of the ongoing Tuareg revolt in Mali and Niger which since 1990 has developed to a new serious trouble spot in two of the least developed countries in the Sahelian zone. Four crises seem to be the decisive factors for the marginalisation and deprivation of the Tuareg:1. The disturbance of their pastoral lifestyle and the loss of access to livelihood resources due to state intervention and development projects. 2. The negation of the existence of the Tuareg ethnic community as a whole by the black African political leaders. 3. The increasing refugee migrations from Mali and Niger to neighbouring countries. 4. The exclusion of the Tuareg from political participation in the postcolonial state.The differences between the conflict in Mali and Niger are discussed within its country specific political geographical background. It is evident that peace is only possible if substantial participation of the Tuareg in the political, administrative and judiciary institutions is guaranteed. In the field of development policy a fundamental change is necessary from mainly farmers-oriented development approaches to concepts which respect pastoral needs and nomadic land use rights.     

Evaluation of urban underground space resources using a negative list method: Taking Xi’an City as an example in China

Utilization of urban underground space has become a vital approach to alleviate the strain on urban land resources, and to optimize the structure and pattem of the city. It is also very important to improve the city environment, build livable city and increase the capacity of the city. Based on the analysis of existing evaluation methods and their problems, a method for evaluating underground space resources based on a negative list of adverse factors affecting underground space development is proposed, to be primarily used in urban planning stages. A list of the adverse factors is established, including limiting factors, constraining factors and influencing factors. Taking Xi’an as an example, using a geographical information system platform, a negative list of adverse factors for the underground space resources in Xi’ an City are evaluated, and preventive measures are proposed. Natural resources, exploitable resources, and the potential growth of exploitable underground space resources are evaluated. Underground space assessment in the different development stages of the city, collaborative utilization and safety evaluation for multiple subsurface resources, environmental impact and assessment, as well as evaluation methods based on big data and intelligent optimization algorithms are all discussed with the aim of serving city planning and construction.     

Who’s afraid of red, yellow and green?: Redlining in Rotterdam

Redlining research is common practice in the US but not in other countries. Does this imply redlining does not take place elsewhere? This paper presents evidence from Rotterdam, the second largest city of the Netherlands, showing that in the 1990s it was impossible to get a home mortgage in large parts of the city. However, after Rotterdam joined the National Mortgage Guarantee (an institutional control measure) in 2000, hardly any evidence of redlining was found. This paper not only shows that redlining takes place outside of the US context, but also that a (discursive) treatment based on case study research has the possibility to gain a fuller understanding of redlining practices than a statistical/correlation analysis of mortgage data. Interviews with key actors are instrumental to unravelling how, why and when those in power make their decisions: agents are structured by the existing system while, at the same time, some of these agents have the power to re-produce as well as re-structure (transform) the system. One of the geographical outcomes of the agency-structure interaction is that credit is “redirected away from poorer to richer (and therefore “safer”) groups” as part of a strategy of risk avoidance [Leyshon and Thrift, 1997]. Thus redlining, like any other form of financial exclusion, deepens and accentuates prevailing levels of uneven development by creating geographical variations in access to the financial system [Dymski and Veitch, 1992].     

‘Ageing in place’: experiences of older adults in Amsterdam and Portland

This article addresses the importance and meanings of formal and informal social support relationships and neighbourhood ties for older adults ‘ageing in place’ in urban neighbourhoods in two different welfare state settings: Portland (Oregon, the United States) and Amsterdam (the Netherlands). The rising number of people growing old(er) in urban environments raises new demands and pressing challenges for urban development. The majority of older adults are and will be ageing in their homes and communities, as opposed to institutionalized care facilities and settings. At the same time, the provision of formal and public care is being increasingly challenged by government cutbacks. On top of this, the formerly strong welfare states in many European countries have weakened. In-depth interviews with 40 older adults and key informants in two neighbourhoods in each city provide the empirical basis for this study. In Portland, there are widespread local civic initiatives related to care provision for older adults. The city has a long tradition both of individual responsibility and community culture, which has emerged from and appears to compensate for the overall lack of state services and support. Amsterdam has a long tradition of state provision, but is experiencing a policy shift towards a stronger reliance on private market-led services, and an emphasis on family and community as providers of support. Although a few emerging local initiatives for elderly care in Amsterdam were identified, it is unclear whether this form of community support can compensate for decreasing state provision in Amsterdam. This study raises concerns about the future of care provision for older adults living in unsupportive urban neighbourhoods, without financial resources or nearby relatives.     

Local government reform,urban crisis and development in South Africa

The article aims to interpret the proposed reorganization of local government in South Africa and to examine its development implications in relation to the metropolitan area of Cape Town. The interpretation of reorganization draws particularly on DUNCAN and GOODWIN's suggestion (Int. J. Urb. Res.,6, 157–185, 1982) that reorganization represents an attempt to reimpose the state form. The article places the reorganization of local government in South Africa in the context of the current reform strategy, and argues that it is an element of a strategy which attempts to produce new forms of social relations, ordered to an increasing extent by the market mechanism. The local government strategy reflects this and also responds in particular to the crisis of legitimacy at local government level and in urban areas. This crisis has been precipitated not so much by forms of representation in local government, as by economic and political conditions in general. However, the reform of local government does not address these conditions, nor does it set up a system of local government in which they might be addressed. In fact, the attempt to reorder society on the basis of the determinants of the market and the resulting emphasis on wealth as a criteria of access to cities, services and power is likely to exacerbate the conditions of unemployment, poverty, spatial inequality and shortages of housing. In effect, therefore, local government reform concerns itself with little more than the management of urban areas in an attempt to contain manifest political problems.     

湖南省地质勘查业现状与发展对策研究

矿产资源是发展生产力的重要物质基础，矿产资源的开发利用推动着社会生产力的发展和社会文明的进步。但矿产的发现和查明又是一个科学的、艰苦的系统工程。根据湖南省地勘产业的现状，对地勘业的改革与发展战略作了研究。     

基于微博平台的中国城市网络信息不对称关系研究

网络信息空间的空间关系及信息流研究为信息化影响下的地理空间演变研究奠定基础。借助微博这一新兴网络信息传播平台获取中国城市间网络信息联系数据,采用流分析方法呈现城市间网络信息联系的空间格局。研究发现:中国城市网络信息关系呈现出"一超多强"的空间极化不对称格局。网络空间不对称格局与地理距离、经济社会发展水平存在密切关联性,表现为:城市对外网络信息总不对称度与其经济社会发展水平的相对一致性;经济社会发展差距对城市间网络信息不对称程度影响的距离衰减性;城市间网络信息不对称程度与经济社会发展差距的相对一致性;东、中、西部三大地区间网络信息不对称关系与经济发展梯度的相对一致性。     

Frontline soldiers of globalisation: Port–city evolution and regional competition

This paper is an empirical attempt to measure the relative concentration of port–city functions in the context of globalisation. It reviews a number of urban and port issues regarding their complementary and contradictory aspects about the evolution of port cities. The main purpose is to verify how port function is more or less important to local economies, compared to other functions, through a temporal and global approach. Based on a matrix of port–city centrality and intermediacy, the main indicators available for international comparison are urban population and container throughput. An analysis of 653 places between 1970 and 2005 period is provided, using the relative concentration index (RCI) proposed by Vallega. The appropriate geographical scale to measure the relative evolution of port cities at a global level is discussed. Results tend to question previous models which consider functional and spatial separation between the city and its port as an ineluctable process. The port–city evolution appears to be gradual rather than linear or chaotic, and in many cases largely influenced by regional factors and local strategies.     

关中盆地主要城市浅层地热能资源量赋存规律研究

具有无污染、可再生、分布广、能量大以及可就近利用等诸多优势的浅层地温能是一种建筑节能的洁净能源,具有广泛的应用前景。根据关中盆地主要城市工程地质、水文地质、环境地质条件等因素,分别建立了每个城市地下水热泵和地埋管热泵系统的适宜分区评价体系,并进行了适宜性综合分区。基于适宜性分区评价结果,对主要城市进行了浅层地热能资源量评价,包括热容量计算、换热功率计算和热能潜力计算,旨在有效地丰富浅层地温能勘察评价与开发利用的理论、奠定浅层地温能广泛开发利用的基础,为改善我国现有能源结构、构建环境友好型社会和节能减排的目标服务。     

State,capital and spaceships: A terrestrial geography of space tourism

Over the past decade, there has been a significant structural and geographical change in space travel. Following policy, budgetary and regulatory changes in the United States, space travel may now be conducted by private companies. This privatization has also led to some geographical competition and shifts between states within the US. In this paper, I respond to MacDonald’s (2007) call for more critical geographies of outer space activity. Building from his suggestion that we look more closely at the ways in which outer space activity is constituted by “numerous familiar operations” with respect to the practices of international relations and war and to the “basic infrastructural maintenance of the state and the lives of its citizenry”, this paper explores why the US Government has allowed for private space travel and why this privatization drove some states in the US to invest heavily in such a nascent industry sector. It argues that federal and state governments both saw private space travel as a means to fulfill their “basic infrastructural maintenance” with regard to economic expansion, development and competitiveness. The paper analyses these processes through the development of space tourism. In doing so, it provides more detail and geographical context to Dickens and Ormrod’s (2007) overview of the connections between outer space and the circuits of capital. It also demonstrates the many familiar political-economic processes involved in the privatization of space travel and, as such, the possibilities for further critical geographies of space activity.