World cities in poor countries: Conclusions from case studies of the principal regional and global players

This is a brief report on a study of world cities in the under-researched poor countries. Whereas previous work has focused rather haphazardly on one or a few cities beyond the West, this is the first study to systematically cover such 'second-tier' world cities. Fourteen leading authorities from diverse backgrounds bring their expertise to bear on twelve world cities across four continents. Alongside the economic, they consider the political and cultural role these cities play within their regions and at the global level. The study leads to three principal conclusions: (1) these cities are extraordinarily diverse; (2) the city centers have become elite enclaves; and (3) along with the forces of globalization, the state and popular movements are important actors. These findings indicate the need for research that moves beyond the focus on globalization to take into account the multiple forces shaping world cities. And they demonstrate the benefits of overcoming an ethnocentrism in urban studies that privileges Western cities as locales of study and sources of generalization.