American Shrinking Cities May Not Need to Grow

Deborah E. Popper & Frank J. Popper — 2017-04-25T05:00:00Z

Successful cities are expected to continually grow, and when this doesn't happen, city managers typically try to stimulate growth at all costs. But what if growth isn't the answer for shrinking cities? Deborah and Frank Popper argue instead for smart decline, where cities in difficulty accept their shortcomings and plan accordingly.
---- Series: Shrinking Cities For most of US history, cities were expected to grow, and they largely did. The nation celebrated economic growth, and cities were

- Essays / United States, Detroit, shrinking cities, urban decline, Buffalo, smart decline, growth, Youngstown, smart shrinkage

Urban Decline Is Not Natural

Jason Hackworth — 2017-04-11T05:00:00Z

Is urban decline inevitable for cities affected by deindustrialization? While many scholars espouse the idea that it is a normal part of a place's economic life cycle, Jason Hackworth argues that urban decline is not natural, but rather produced, typically by factors that have little to do with economics and everything to do with social and political—and often racial—conflict.
---- Series: Shrinking Cities The fate of formerly industrial cities in the Global North—places like Detroit,

- Essays / racism, Rust Belt, Montreal, race, Detroit, urban decay, shrinking cities, urban decline, social conflict, Global North, Liverpool, Leipzig, Belfast, Duluth, Cleveland, Buffalo

Metropolitics

American Shrinking Cities May Not Need to Grow

Urban Decline Is Not Natural