THE MANAGEMENT OF URBAN-DEVELOPMENT, OR THE DEVELOPMENT OF URBAN MANAGEMENT - PROBLEMS AND PREMISES OF AN ELUSIVE CONCEPT

Urban management is now a central issue in urban development. This pap er examines the reasons for the present international attention on thi s concept, and highlights its connection with recent changes in the po litico-economic framework of society. Attention is given to the restru cturing of the current mode of production prevailing throughout the wo rld, associated changes in the regime of accumulation, with an emphasi s on the locality and the increasing complexity and fragmentation of s ociety. The paper also examines the problems related to the elusivenes s of such a concept, and presents evidence from the Urban Management P rogramme (United Nations). The paper ends by inquiring about the futur e of urban management. It stresses the need to focus on politics, as w ell as to separate the current development ideas associated with urban management, from urban management per se. It is necessary to adapt ur ban management to changes in development paradigms ie changes which wi ll happen if the neo-liberal paradigm is superseded.