Exploring Cosmopolitanity and Connectivity in The Polycentric German Urban System

Abstract

This paper investigates the theoretical concept that a city is always influenced by the relations it has to its hinterland and to other cities. Taylor and colleagues point out that city-city relations and city-hinterland relations can be understood as two sides of a coin. Using this conception the polycentric structure and dynamics of the German urban system can be described through: (i) metropolitan functions representing city-hinterland relations (cosmopolitanity) and (ii) a network of cities representing city-city relations (connectivity). Measuring separately the degrees of cosmopolitanity and connectivity, we look at whether the German urban system after reunification has grown together, becoming one balanced urban system, and what role Berlin -as the new capital in the overall system -now has. The results of the two perspectives are compared and analysed.

The Geography of Borrowing Size: Exploring Spatial Distributions for German Urban Regions

“…For example, a city such as Zurich, with only 350,000 inhabitants, is specialised in international finance like New York and Tokyo (Capello ). Furthermore, the choice of an appropriate indicator depends on a comprehensive data structure for the study region (counties and cities in Germany), the comparability of data sources among time periods and objective and reliable statistics (Volgmann ; Growe & Volgmann ). Our dataset consists of 47 localised functional attribute indicators for 2008–2010 (see Volgmann ; and Table ).…”

Regional Councils in a Global Context: Council Types and Council Elements

“…Nevertheless, urban or metropolitan regions are acknowledged as an increasing important spatial configuration and become even more important. Structural changes in the economy-namely the rising knowledge economy-lead to changing spatial patterns of economic activities and support metropolization processes [24][25][26]. Additionally, continuing migration processes into urban areas emphasise the importance of (metropolitan) regions, leading to new challenges in providing infrastructure and liveable environments [27].…”

Peri-Urban Dynamics in Murcia Region (SE Spain): The Successful Case of the Altorreal Complex

“…The current use of the concept metropolitan area [19] has been quite useful in order to understand the urban dynamics of Spanish cities after the period of economic growth based on a singular building boom process. The current urban areas composed of several municipalities have had the most significant change in terms of the growth in the number of inhabitants and added value.…”

“…In addition, many services have been installed in these new cities, in the former transitional areas between the city and the countryside [20]. A metropolitan region must therefore fulfill important functions, such as cosmopolitanity (power in a regional/national context) and guaranteeing the integration in networks of its different neighborhoods (connectivity) [19].…”