Chapter two Whose city is this anyway? Tensions in urban governance, good and otherwise

Abstract

This chapter explores a series of issues related to the configuration and objectives of urban governance. These issues are then elaborated into six dimensions of “good urban governance.” The core argument in the chapter is that good urban governance ultimately harks back to conventional ideals of democracy like responsive and accountable government, but the embeddedness of urban governance in complex economic structures and institutional hierarchies means that the pursuit of good urban governance is a more challenging project compared to the nation-state level.