Long the leading text in urban sociology, The Urban Worldcontinues to provide a comprehensive, balanced, up-to-date, cross-cultural look at cities and suburbs around the world. Offering a 21st century view of the changing urban scene, the text covers evolving urban patterns and the changing nature of urban life. Combining expert scholarship with a readable style that students appreciate, J. John Palen is one of America's leading urban sociologists, who travels the world and adds new insights gleaned firsthand to each succeeding edition of his text.