Urban policy mobilities,argumentation and the case of the model city

In recent years urban geographers have devoted considerable attention to the dynamics of policy mobility. After reviewing the progress achieved in this literature, in this article I offer two distinctive contributions. First, I draw on the “argumentative turn” in policy studies and related fields in order to develop an alternative conceptualization of urban policy mobility that pays greater attention to its discursive and argumentative aspects. I thus reassert the significance of democratic processes in the negotiation of urban policy. Second, I outline an alternative methodology for the study of urban policy mobility, focusing on the analysis of argumentation. I apply this methodology to historical instances of urban policy mobilities arising from a recent research project that aimed to historicize the phenomenon of the “model city,” defined as the local deployment of another city’s experience as an argumentative resource supporting particular policy claims.     

Spatial patterns of retail activity and street network structure in new and traditional Israeli cities

The association between spatial patterns of retail activity and the spatial configuration of street networks was examined by means of the space syntax methodology in eight Israeli cities that represent two city types, characterized by different planning approaches and urban growth: (i) new towns, which were established according to a comprehensive city plan and modern planning concepts of “tree-like” hierarchical street networks and “neighborhood units”; (ii) older cities, where street networks and the spatial patterns of retail activity were formed incrementally during their growth. Unlike in older cities, retail activity in new towns concentrates in relatively less-accessible and intermediate locations. This is indicated by a weak correlation between retail activity and the street network’s Integration and Choice centrality measures. The comparison between Israeli cities illustrates the influence of urban growth and planning approaches on the formation of retail activity and its interaction with the structure of the street network.     

Anticipatory logics of the smart city’s global imaginary

The smart city encompasses a broad range of technological innovations which might be applied to any city for a wide variety of reasons. In this article, I make a distinction between local efforts to reshape the urban landscape, and a global smart city imaginary which those efforts draw upon and help sustain. While attention has been given to the malleability of the smart city concept at this global scale, there remains little effort to interrogate the way that the future is used to sanction specific solutions. Through a critical engagement with smart city marketing materials, industry documents, and consultancy reports, I explore how the future is recruited, rearranged, and represented as a rationalization for technological intervention in the present. This is performed amidst three recurring crises: massive demographic shifts and subsequent resource pressures, global climate change, and the conflicting demands of fiscal austerity that motivate the desire of so many cities to attract foreign direct investment and highly skilled workers. In revealing how crises are pre-empted, precautioned, and prepared for, I argue that the smart city imaginary normalizes a style and scale of response deemed appropriate under liberal capitalism.     

中国城市网络核心-边缘结构演化及影响因素研究——基于制造业企业网络视角

基于制造业企业网络视角的城市网络核心—边缘结构的研究将加深对城市网络演化规律的理解。利用2020年中国制造业500强企业网络数据和隶属联系模型构建城市网络,研究了中国城市网络核心—边缘结构的演化特征,定量测度了核心—边缘结构的影响因素,并根据国际生产折衷理论解析了城市网络地位分异的动力机制。研究发现: 2005—2020年,核心区块的城市数量逐渐增加,主要由直辖市、经济特区以及东、中部地区的省会城市组成,这些城市通过互惠性的链接关系形成了凝聚子群,网络权力较为集中;边缘区块的城市则主要位于中、西部地区,城市间经济联系相对稀疏,整体网络结构并不稳定,城市的发展受到了网络资本的约束。关键资源、基础设施和区位优势是影响中国城市网络地位的决定性因素,择优选择、网络邻近和路径依赖构成了中国城市网络核心—边缘结构演化的动力机制,这将进一步增强核心城市的网络地位。在网络环境下,城市间的差距趋于扩大,城市网络地位的提升取决于城市在网络中的影响力,中国城市化政策需要做出相应调整。     

南极海豹类生态学

描述了南极海豹的种类组成、资源量和种类状况等一般性生态学问题,着重讲述了这些海豹在研究全球变化中所起的作用等科学前沿问题;同时,就海豹研究在各国际组织中的地位阐述了意见。     

Urban steeplands in the tropics: an environment of accelerated erosion

The developing countries at present have a high urban growth rate that is likely to continue for at least another quarter-century. In addition, many of these urban centres are located in the Neogene plate boundary zones and are subject to multiple earthquake and volcanic hazards. Slope failures and accelerated surface and channel erosion are particularly severe in cities near active plate margins, and in areas affected also by tropical cyclones. We discuss two extreme cases: Singapore and Kingston (Jamaica). Singapore is located in a stable environment and the urbanization related problems of flood and slope instability have been reduced by proper building and drainage practices at a considerable cost. In Kingston, the external disturbances are repetitive, large-scale, and very difficult to control. The fast-growing cities in the tropics need to be carefully monitored, especially when located in an unstable physical environment. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

A watershed on the Rhine: Changing approaches to international environmental cooperation

Since the 1950s, the governments of the riparian countries of the Rhine have attempted to protect the ecosystems of the river basin through international cooperation. Before 1987, their relations were unproductive and antagonistic. International programs for the protection of Rhine were far less effective than domestic policies. From 1987 onwards, international cooperation on the protection of the Rhine has been exemplary, and has led the way in domestic and international water protection policies. Many existing frameworks of international relations are not able to offer an adequate account of this wholesale change. In this article, an attempt is undertaken with the help of grid-group theory. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

重视主导化石门类,推进国际地层表的应用--对我国区域地质工作的几点建议

在国际地层委员会的领导下,经各国科学家的努力,已确定了显生宙各地质时代的主导化石门类。中国区域地质调查工作应注重主导化石门类,以便更有效地解决地层问题。国际地层表（2004）已有很大进展,并正在完善,中国科学家对此做出了重要贡献。应大力倡导国际地层表在区域地质和其他领域的应用,与国际接轨;但也要科学地、有区别地对待和使用。     

世界钢铁工业发展趋势及对我国钢铁工业的影响

20世纪是世界钢铁工业快速发展的世纪。在科技进步和市场需求的拉动下,世界钢铁生产的规模、地区格局与原材料供应等都发生了显著变化。进入21世纪,世界钢铁工业将在高科技的推动、原材料供给与产品销售的激烈竞争、以及环境容量的制约下,进入新的结构调整和发展时期。未来世界钢铁工业将以发展中国家的增长为主;生产体制从注重产量向环境友好转化;市场竞争将加速跨国公司全球资本重组。我国钢铁工业在今后20至30年内仍有较大发展空间,国内外市场需求的变化与跨国公司的并购重组,将推动我国钢铁工业布局进一步接近市场,向沿海或大都市周边地区集中。     

Culture,demography and biogeography of sponge science: From past conferences to strategic research?

Perceived changes in the culture of sponge science and sponge conferences served as motivation for an evaluation of the sponge science community and research, over time and at present. Observed changes included a decrease in proceedings publications on sponge fossils and freshwater sponges, sponges from temperate environments, review papers and data syntheses, frequency of aquarium studies, and number of species investigated per publication. Publications on recent sponges, hexactinellids, calcareans, marine, Indo‐Pacific and warm‐water sponges increased, as well as the number of authors per publication and the proportion of field studies. Studies at the level of specimens and ultrastructure were gradually replaced by molecular approaches, but studies at the community level remained stable. The five sub‐disciplines morphology/taxonomy, phylogeny/evolution, physiology, ecology and faunistics also retained about equal proportions over time. Conference publications related to taxonomy, phylogeny and biodiversity prevailed, whereas those on management and conservation were rare, possibly because studies on sponge recovery, survival and mortality were also scarce. The community of sponge scientists has grown and become more diverse over time, presently representing 72 nations. The gender distribution evened out since the first sponge conference and presently favours women at early and men at late career stages. Although stated research interests are generally dominated by physiology and ecology, taxonomy and evolution are favoured after retirement. Sponge science has become more dynamic, but maybe also more competitive and less inclusive. We now face the dual challenge of safeguarding against the loss of some sub‐disciplines, and fostering the collaborative, helpful culture characteristic of sponge science.