Introduction: Introducing urban alternatives

This chapter introduces the key themes of the book with a point of departure in the discussion of the rationale for seeking to enable alternative urban futures. A brief diagnosis of the current urban condition is conducted, resulting in a range of challenge/possibility pairs that set the tone for the kinds of urban issues dealt with in the book. The chapter also includes a discussion on the new urban agenda recently introduced by the United Nations. Finally, it sets conceptual markers for the following chapters by exploring key concepts such as ‘enabling’, ‘the urban’, and ‘alternatives’. Introductions to the three parts of the book as well as brief summaries of the chapters are also provided.