Population, Urbanization and Quality of Life (HABITAT, 1994, 47 p.): Introduction

Population, Urbanization and Quality of Life (HABITAT, 1994, 47 p.)

		(introduction...)
		Foreword
		Introduction
		I. Urbanization: conceptual and measurement issues, temporal and spatial perspectives and the driving forces
		II. Impact of urbanization on social change and modernization
		III. Impact of urbanization on demographic changes
		IV. Impact of urbanization on individual and household income
		V. The challenge: more efficient and effective urban management
		Vl. Conclusion
		References
		Annex

Introduction

Urbanization is a process which has been an integral part of human civilization and which continues unabated in every country of the world. Accelerated population growth in the post-Second World War era, especially in the third world, has precipitated an equally accelerated urbanization process that affects population management and the quality of life of the urban population. The role of urbanization is ambivalent given that the process can either enhance effective population management and improve quality of life or erode these, depending on the competence with which the process and phenomena are handled. The paradox of urbanization is that every "first-world city" today has within it a "third-world city" in which unemployment, overcrowding, disease, malnutrition and high infant mortality are common. Likewise, every "third-world city" has within it a "first-world city" of international fashion, high technology, global communications, transnational corporations and post-modern taste (Cheema, 1993: 28). Yet rarely is urbanization considered in terms of its impact on social change and modernization, on individual and household welfare and on the demographic impact being realised. Emphasis has tended to be placed not only on trends, features, characteristics, patterns and the driving forces of "engines" of urbanization, but also on urban management challenges which incorporate population management as well as the quality of life of urban populations. The missing links in rigorous interpretation of the role of urbanization imply that policies and strategies towards sustainable urbanization, sustainable population management and improved quality of life for urban populations are at best non-existent or poorly articulated.

This paper examines the roles of urbanization in sustainable population management through its impacts on social change and modernization, on individual and household incomes; and on demographic changes. In the light of the foregoing impacts, urban management challenges are reviewed and the policies and strategies towards sustainable urbanization, sustainable population management and enhanced quality of life for urban population are outlined and discussed.