Governing Cities for Growth: Land politics, financial mechanisms, and state entrepreneurialism in China

During the course of the 21st century, China has experienced one of the fastest urban growth processes in history. Its rapid urban growth has not only contributed to its industrial and technological development but it has also functioned as a key driver of its national economic growth. As well as bringing many benefits, China’s rapid urban...

Spatial Planning for Urban Resilience in the Face of the Flood Risk: Institutional Actions, Opportunities and Challenges

The research was inspired by the increasing impact of extreme weather events and changing climate patterns on flood-prone regions and cities, and the consequent human and economic costs. Despite global efforts for flood resilience and climate adaptation involving climate analysts, economists, social scientists, politicians, hydrological...

Regimes of Urban Transformation in Tehran: The Politics of Planning Urban Development in the 20th Century Iran

This thesis contributes to a detailed understanding of the urbanisation of Tehran, and offers a new perspective on its complexities and specificities. This perspective builds on the work of urban scholars who have critically questioned the Eurocentric understanding of cities and have moved beyond an artificial hierarchy of cities that pushes for...

Spatial planning and urban resilience in the context of flood risk: A comparative study of Kaohsiung, Tainan and Rotterdam

Spatial planning is increasingly being considered as an important mechanism in coping with flood risk due to climate change. One of the reasons for this is that engineering approaches are increasingly expensive and cannot provide complete certainty of protection against climate-related floods. The thesis examines whether and how spatial planning...