The World Bank and Urban Development: From Projects to Policy (Routledge Studies in Development and Society)

As one of the world’s most powerful supranational institutions, the World Bank has played an important role in international development discourse and practice since 1946. This is the first book-length history and analysis of the Bank’s urban programs and their complex relationship to urban policy formulation in the developing world. Through extensive primary research, the book examines four major themes: the political and economic forces that propelled the reluctant World Bank to finally embrace urban programs in the 1970s how the Bank fashioned its general ideology of development into specific urban projects trends and transitions within the Bank’s urban agenda from its inception to the present the World Bank’s historic and contemporary role in the complex interaction between global, national, and local forces that shape the urban agendas of developing countries. The book also examines how protests from NGOs and civic movements, in the context of globalization and neo-liberalism, have influenced the World Bank policies from the 1990s to the present. The institution’s attempts to restructure and legitimate itself, in light of shifting geo-political and intellectual contexts, are considered throughout. Although The World Bank Has Been Involved In Urban Lending For More Than Three Decades, The World Bank And Urban Development Is The First Book-length History And Analysis Of The Bank's Urban Programs And Their Complex Relationship To Urban Policy Formulation In The Developing World. Through Extensive Primary Research, Including Interviews With World Bank And Government Officials, And Through An Exploration Of Factors Internal And External To The Bank That Have Impacted Its Urban Development Agenda, This Work Addreses Four Major Gaps In The Literature. The Book Also Examines How Protests From Ngos And Civic Moments, In The Context Of Globalization And Neo-liberalism, Have Influenced World Bank Policies From The 1990s To The Present. The Institution's Attempts To Restructure And Legitimate Itself, In Light Of Shifting Geo-political And Intellectual Contexts, Are Considered Throughout The Book.--book Jacket. Introduction -- Theorizing The World Bank And Development -- Toward Social Lending : Shifts In The World Bank's Development Thinking -- The Search For An Urban Agenda At The World Bank -- The Fall Of Poverty Alleviation : The Politics Of Urban Lending At The World Bank -- Beyond Global And Local : A Critical Analysis Of The World Bank Urban Programs In Zimbabwe -- Globalization, Neo-liberalism, And The Politics Of The Bank's Current Urban Agenda -- Conclusion. Edward Ramsamy. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [192]-219) And Index. Book Cover......Page 1 Half-Title......Page 2 Series-Title......Page 3 Title......Page 6 Copyright......Page 7 Dedication......Page 8 Contents......Page 10 Figures......Page 11 Tables......Page 12 Acknowledgements......Page 13 Abbreviations......Page 17 Introduction......Page 20 1 Theorizing the World Bank and development......Page 24 2 Toward social lending :Shifts in the World Bank’s development thinking......Page 55 3 The search for an urban agenda at the World Bank......Page 86 4 The fall of poverty alleviation: The politics of urban lending at the World Bank......Page 117 5 Beyond global and local: A critical analysis of the World Bank and urban development in Zimbabwe......Page 144 6 Globalization, neo-liberalism, and the politics of the World Bank's current urban agenda......Page 189 7 Conclusion......Page 204 Notes......Page 211 Bibliography......Page 222 Index......Page 239 "Although the World Bank has been involved in urban lending for more than three decades, The World Bank and Urban Development is the first book-length history and analysis of the Bank's urban programs and their complex relationship to urban policy formulation in the developing world. Through extensive primary research, including interviews with World Bank and government officials, and through an exploration of factors internal and external to the Bank that have impacted its urban development agenda, this work addresses four major gaps in the literature. The book also examines how protests from NGOs and civic moments, in the context of globalization and neo-liberalism, have influenced World Bank policies from the 1990s to the present As one of the world's most powerful supranational institutions, the World Bank has played an important role in international development discourse and practice since 1946. This book presents the history and analysis of the Bank's urban programs and their complex relationship to urban policy formulation in the developing world This significant text examines the factors, both internal and external to the World Bank that have influenced its urban development agenda, and is essential reading for those involved in the areas of urban and development studies.