Does the city have a future? This book addresses questions which have gained new importance in light of the continuing erosion of the economic base and the social stability of cities. The recurring riots in inner cities are but the outward manifestation of the profound collapse of the civic societies of our cities. Policy makers in local and central government have tried with varying degrees of urgency to respond to this crisis. Some of this has been an attempt to repair the self-inflicted damage of earlier policy; some has been a response to a radically changed economic context. This book addresses three main issues: What has gone wrong? What successes and failures has policy had? What should be the shape of future urban policy? This book presents much new thinking and research and considers a range of policy areas.