In the brief golden years following World War II, the European city seemed to be the model case of a socially balanced, culturally integrated, and prosperous community. Today, its end is predicted. Its form is dissolving into a faceless settlement mush. Public spaces are being privatized. Vacant apartments and industrial wastelands create gaps in the urban fabric. Isolated neighborhoods of the poor and immigrants are emerging. Globalization, the power of real estate developers, and financial crises challenge the European city as a bastion of the welfare state. However, there are also social, cultural, economic, and political counter-trends. These will be discussed in this volume, which is aimed at urban planners, city politicians, and all those interested in urban issues, as well as architects and social scientists. Contributions.