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Urban World History

An Economic and Geographical Perspective

  • Presents a very original vision of urban world history
  • Traces a spatial logic in world history
  • Contributes to the debate about the respective impacts of geography and culture on the world history evolution

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Table of contents (17 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xvi
  2. Introduction

    • Luc-Normand Tellier
    Pages 1-13
  3. Understanding the First Urban Revolution

    • Luc-Normand Tellier
    Pages 81-93
  4. Understanding the Urban Evolution Dynamics

    • Luc-Normand Tellier
    Pages 121-129
  5. Understanding Topodynamic Inertia

    • Luc-Normand Tellier
    Pages 165-174
  6. The Great Ebb: Europe’s Fight for Survival

    • Luc-Normand Tellier
    Pages 175-212
  7. Understanding the Impact of Motorized Transportation

    • Luc-Normand Tellier
    Pages 297-313
  8. Understanding Topodynamic Corridors

    • Luc-Normand Tellier
    Pages 363-368
  9. Poles and Routes Through History

    • Luc-Normand Tellier
    Pages 369-387
  10. The Topodynamic Model: Origin and Fallouts

    • Luc-Normand Tellier
    Pages 389-404
  11. The Urban World Future

    • Luc-Normand Tellier
    Pages 405-417
  12. Conclusion: The Broad Patterns of History

    • Luc-Normand Tellier
    Pages 419-427
  13. Back Matter

    Pages 429-463

About this book

This book seeks to deepen readers’ understanding of world history by investigating urbanization and the evolution of urban systems, as well as the urban world, from the perspective of historical analysis. The theoretical framework of the approach stems directly from space-economy, and, more generally, from location theory and the theory of urban systems.
The author explores a certain logic to be found in world history, and argues that this logic is spatial (in terms of spatial inertia, spatial trends, attractive and repulsive forces, vector fields, etc.) rather than geographical (in terms of climate, precipitation, hydrography). Accordingly, the book puts forward a truly original vision of urban world history, one that will benefit economists, historians, regional scientists, and anyone with a healthy curiosity.

Authors and Affiliations

  • Urban Studies and Tourism, University of Quebec at Montreal, Montreal, Canada

    Luc-Normand Tellier

About the author

Luc-Normand Tellier obtained a Ph.D. in Regional Science from the University of Pennsylvania in 1973. He founded the Department of Urban Studies and Tourism of the University of Quebec at Montreal in 1976. He is the author of numerous books in regional science, as well as in French and Canadian history, and he has published in international journals such as the Journal of Regional Science, Regional Science Policy and Practice, Geographical Analysis, and Environment and Planning A. He received the title of Professor Emeritus in 2012.

Bibliographic Information

  • Book Title: Urban World History

  • Book Subtitle: An Economic and Geographical Perspective

  • Authors: Luc-Normand Tellier

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-24842-0

  • Publisher: Springer Cham

  • eBook Packages: Economics and Finance, Economics and Finance (R0)

  • Copyright Information: Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2019

  • Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-030-24841-3Published: 27 September 2019

  • Softcover ISBN: 978-3-030-24844-4Published: 28 September 2020

  • eBook ISBN: 978-3-030-24842-0Published: 14 September 2019

  • Edition Number: 2

  • Number of Pages: XVI, 463

  • Number of Illustrations: 53 b/w illustrations, 35 illustrations in colour

  • Topics: Economic History, Urban History, Economic Geography, Urban Economics

Buy it now

Buying options

eBook USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access