Published in 1998, Regional Development and Planning for the 21st Century examines a number of related themes including: the traditional approach of local and regional planning initiatives developed within the context of national goals; the current decline of bi-polar political and ideological blocs; political decentralization and concurrent economic centralization including the growth of multi-national corporations; devolution of centralized planning powers to regions and localities, and the rise and acceptance of sustainable development concepts. The book is divided into five parts addressing: 1 - adjustments to political, economic and social change; 2 the problems of urban housing and housing and health; 3 - adjustments to environmental change, development policies and sustainability; 4 - the problem of rapid urban growth and mega cities; 5 - adjustments of changing urban networks. The contributors are from several countries worldwide and the chapters examine the issues at a global level.

'The chapters in this book cumulatively make an important and thought-provoking contribution to a very serious issue...The complexity and subtlety of the changing demands on and responses of planning are well-illustrated in this text.' Graham Chapman, Lancaster University, UK '...this book provides a lot of material with firsthand experiences...a welcome addition...highly recommended to readers who wish to discover how various regions of the world have changed in the trends of decentralization and globalization.' Journal of Regional Science