Globalization has served as the vehicle for tremendous global change and a vehicle behind the promotion of innovations across all industries on a global scale. The specified outcome has shaped the development of cities to a significant extent, encouraging rapid urbanization and promoting the expansion of cross-cultural communication. As a result, an important trend in the relationship between urbanization and contemporary cities’ development can be observed. Due to the increasing importance of sharing cultural experiences and knowledge globally, the development of contemporary cities has been geared toward the promotion of smart technology, green planning, and inclusivity, which aligns with the foundational principles of globalization as the increase in cross-cultural interactions.
In essence, the observed trend can be explained from the perspective of the alignment between form and function. The significance of maintaining a balance between form and function in urban planning, particularly architecture, has been emphasized by multiple experts: “We find that while urban planning can contribute substantially, there are continuing gaps in how the inherently anthropocentric urban planning processes can give voice to non-human nature” (Bush & Doyon, 2019, p. 1). In turn, the current pace of urbanization progress and its connection to the cities’ development can be seen as the reconciliation between form and function through the focus on utility and aesthetics (Barthel et al., 2019). Namely, changes occurring to contemporary cities no longer represent innovation for the sake of innovation. Instead, they pursue the goal of addressing the problem of inequality observed on a global level and providing extra opportunities to communities that have been neglected for a long time.
However, the described trend in promoting urbanization and globalization as the main course for the development of large cities suggests the emergence of several major problems. Specifically, the exploitative nature of the urbanization process as the direct outcome of the colonial past needs to be mentioned as one of the most problematic aspects of the current urbanization trend. For instance, Stroller (2002) asserts that globalization is mostly colonial in its nature due to the uninhibited focus on searching for the cheapest opportunities for development available and, therefore, the use of third-world countries’ labor force. Specifically, Stroller (2002, p. 6) states that “Most writers who have discussed ‘the new immigration’ stress how it has resulted from the economic and social dislocations brought on by globalization.” Therefore, the presence of the dominant economic and cultural force is likely to create a setting where countries with lesser economic power and cultural influence are likely to remain exploited.
The emphasis on sustainability and the associated changes, including the increased mobility of the city and the update of the infrastructure of the urban landscape, can also be considered some of the central elements of the current globalization and urbanization trends in city development. At the same time, the path of the urbanization process is highly likely to leave the needs of minority representatives behind. According to Zukin (1996, p. 190), “Despite their many contributions to historical consciousness, quests for the roots of modernity in urban consumption spaces have focused too much research on hegemonic forms of centralized investment and standardized display and spent too little time on populist shopping cultures of the streets.” In other words, the urbanization process shifts the goals of city development from understanding the needs of the working class and creating opportunities for equity toward the idea of exploitation of the specified marginalized communities in the name of economic growth.
While the importance of economic development is undeniable, and the subject matter must be supported, it must not come at the cost of minority groups and vulnerable populations within the city. Therefore, the current pace of urbanization as the path toward promoting city development needs to be coordinated better so that vulnerable community members should to be left without resources or exploited. However, the opportunity to use cheap labor as a means of reducing production costs represents far too strong a temptation for most companies (Hou et al., 2019). Moreover, the increased rate of urbanization and the resulting city development, particularly, in regard to its economic performance, is in conflict with the needs of the working class and ethnic and racial minorities, as well as other groups that are likely to be exploited by corporations (Chu & Michael, 2019). Therefore, the current trend in urbanization can be interpreted as conducive to the economic development of cities, while also reducing the opportunity for them to evolve socially. Namely, the provision of social and legal justice, as well as essential rights, to vulnerable communities becomes highly questionable.
From a political perspective, the rapid pace of urbanization appears to be conducive to the elimination of the divide between poo communities and wealthy ones. At first glance, the specified effect can be regarded s positive. Namely, the gentrification of the areas that used to be seen solely as impoverished neighborhoods and local ghettos creates additional options for local residents to escape the poverty vortex. Specifically, the emergence of employment opportunities and related options is likely to lead to positive social and economic change. In the example provided by Portes and Stepick (1994, p. 46), the authors consider the significance of creating a multilingual environment where all audiences will feel welcome: “Language has great importance because if an individual owns a store whose clients come from Latin America, he will need bilingual employees.” Similarly, the increase in the pace of urbanization and the rise in the focus on globalization as a part of contemporary urban development will entail significantly higher diversity rates.
In turn, the specified changes will suggest a notable increase in the cultural development and economic growth of cities. For this reason, urbanization can be considered one of the key vehicles behind the rise in diversity. However, remarkably, the specified improvement will be inevitably disrupted by the presence of biases and the existence of a rigid class structure within most urban communities (Kempin Reuter, 2019). Consequently, while cross-cultural communication and cultural exchange will become more accessible, the exploitation of cultural, ethnic, and racial minorities will continue to be one of the main adverse trends in city development in the context of urbanization.
At the same time, it would be a mistake to view the relationships between urbanization and the contemporary development of cities as a solely positive occurrence. Specifically, in the social context, the outlined changes atypically entail challenges for marginalized communities. Apart from the rapidly developing threat of being subjected to exploitation by large corporations, members of vulnerable groups are likely to experience significantly higher exposure to biases and prejudices. Portes and Stepick (1994) provide an example of the specified scenario by considering the case of immigrants who had to apply twice as strong an effort when building a positive image of their community in American society and convincing American citizens that they are worth being trusted and seen as legitimate community members. Therefore, the threat of social ostracism, to which vulnerable community members are likely to be subjected, remains one of the dire effects of urbanization on city development.
Art the same time, applying the economic lens to the situation will prove that the specified vulnerable communities will receive an opportunity to be seen and gain a greater chance at leveraging their economic opportunities. Namely, the rapid development of cities as a part of the urbanization process will inevitably cause an increase in employment opportunities, which, albeit still geared toward exploitation, represent an important resource for vulnerable populations (Brady & Hooper, 2019). Therefore, further efforts need to be made to address the concerns of vulnerable communities while supporting urbanization and city development.
The focus on urbanization has shifted the development of contemporary cities toward green planning, accessibility of services, and inclusivity for marginalized communities to a significant extent, thus, defining the development of urban areas. The emphasis on cross-cultural communication and collaboration, which globalization has introduced into the context of the present-day urban environment, has defined the pace, scale, and goals of urbanization. Specifically, in addition to introducing innovative tools and digital items into the areas that are to b urbanized further, state authorities have been seeking to introduce additional options and opportunities for vulnerable groups. As a result, globalization has shaped the urbanization trends within contemporary cities to a significant extent.
References
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