Cities in conflict

For urban planners and architects, the dilemmas of appropriate practice exist in all urban environments but are heightened in developing countries, in which the professional is, by definition, a member of a privileged minority. As a result, many such people have become isolated from the evolution of theories on how to solve the problems of urban development and the needs of the urban poor.

This collection of studies on the four large metropolitan cities of Manila, Jakarta, Calcutta, and Madras is different from many other books on urbanization in developing countries in that the chapters are written mainly by practicing professional planners and architects. They describe their recent experience with large-scale urban planning initiatives funded by the World Bank. The contributors reflect more than a decade of on-going experience with these programs and give their personal perspectives on the role of the planning consultant. The four case studies are introduced by an overview of the conflicts facing the planning professional in the Third World city, a review of urban management strategies in Asia, and a summary of the Bank's experience with its urban projects. Discussions of the overall theme of planning and management conflicts compare metropolitan management strategies and Bank projects in the four cities. An appendix contains comparative data on the Philippines, Indonesia, India, and the four cities.