Secondary Cities and Development

The role secondary cities play in the global space economy and national urban hierarchies is increasingly receiving attention from scholars and international agencies, most notably the Cities Alliance.

Secondary Cities and Development considers the role of secondary cities through the lens of South Africa, a middle-income country with characteristics of both the developed and developing worlds. This book brings together a broad overview of international literature on secondary cities in South Africa and mirrors them against global experience. Chapters emphasize the importance of secondary cities as regional services areas, their potential roles in rural development, the vulnerabilities to which they are prone and their signifcant potential. By means of review, six South African case studies, and an assessment of contemporary policy approaches towards these cities, this unique volume provides insight into a spectrum of globally significant challenges.

This book would be of interest to academics and policy makers working in urban studies or regional development.

Lochner Marais is Professor in Development Studies at the Centre for Development Support, University of the Free State, South Africa.

Etienne Nel is Professor of Geography at the University of Otago in New Zealand and Visiting Professor, Centre for Development Support, University of the Free State, South Africa.

Ronnie Donaldson is Professor of Geography at Stellenbosch University, South Africa.