An emerging conventional wisdom about European cities argues that they are vital to the future of our societies and are undergoing revitalisation. Cities are engines of regional and national development in advanced economies dependent on innovation, knowledge, human capital and connectivity. In an era of low communication costs and high mobility, cities can offer high quality environments, vibrant amenities and sustainable patterns of development. They can also provide social and cultural vitality in a context of increasing population diversity and fluidity.

Yet many questions and ambiguities remain for urban policy and research. Is the new thinking consistent with the challenges of social inclusion? Are consumption-oriented urban strategies sustainable in economic and ecological terms? Are there losers as well as winners among cities in the more competitive environment? What are the roles of national governments and the EU in balancing territorial cohesion and globalisation? Can the fuzzy concepts of cohesion, competitiveness and sustainability be sharpened, and can the propositions linking these processes be validated empirically?

website: http://www.eura.org/pdf/glasgow_2007.pdf