This collection of essays provides a review and restatement of concepts and analytical insights about the relations between the dynamics of the production system and urban society. A number of questions underline the arrangement of the book, and constitute the central debates each chapter.

Part 1 Economic globalization and cities: globalization, urban economic restructuring and urban society, Frank Moulaert and Allen J. Scott; economic globalization and urban dynamics (I), Arie Schachar; economic globalization and urban dynamics (II), William E. Lever. Part 2 Urban strategies of firms: from territorial production systems to metropolitanization - ten years of research in France, Nicole May; dynamics of production systems, territories and cities, Pierre Veltz; producer services and the formation of urban space, Frank Moulaert et al; enterprises and urban space in France since the industrial revolution, Louis Bergeron. Part 3 Urban labour markets and social exclusion: new employment regimes in cities - impacts on immigrant workers, Saskia Sassen; urban poverty and social exclusion - concepts and debates, Yuri Kazepov and Francesca Zajczvk; socio-economic restructuring and urban poverty under different welfare regimes, David Benassi et al. Part 4 Urban development, local democracy and public policy: urban economic restructuring and public policy, Edmond Preteceille; public action, local democracy and the challenge of economic globalization, Michel Autes; urban restructuring and local response, Patricia Wilson et al; the urban questions and the future of urban research, Allen J. Scott and Frank Moulaert.