Terrorism, Risk and the Global City Towards Urban Resilience

First published in 2003, this account of the anti-terrorist measures of London's financial district and the changes in urban security after 9/11 has been revised to take into account developments in counter-terrorist security and management, particularly after the terrorist attack in London on July 7th 2005. It makes a valuable addition to the current debate on terrorism and the new security challenges facing Western nations. Drawing on the post-9/11 academic and policy literature on how terrorism is reshaping the contemporary city, this book explores the changing nature of the terrorist threat against global cities in terms of tactics and targeting, and the challenge of developing city-wide managerial measures and strategies. Also addressed is the way in which London is leading the way in developing best practice in counter-terrorist design and management, and how such practice is being internationalized.

Contents: Preface; Part I Transforming Cities in the Age of Terrorism: Introduction: terrorism, risk and the global city; Urban restructuring and the development of defensive landscapes; Controlling urban security discourse; Risk society, resilient planning, and the global terrorist threat. Part II The City of London's Response: Constructing and reinforcing the ring of steel; Distributing the financial risk of terrorism; Framing, legitimising and negotiating the City's response to terrorist risk. Part III Terrorism, Risk and the Future City: Towards Urban Resilience: Beating the bombers: a decade of counter terrorism in the City of London; Terrorism and future urbanism in the wake of 9/11; London prepared? Resilience, reputation, and the global city; Bibliography; Index.

Jon Coaffee is Chair of Spatial Planning at the Centre for Urban and Regional Studies, Birmingham Business School, University of Birmingham, UK