Cities and digital connectivity

Developments in information and communications technology (ICT) are likely to have far-reaching consequences for economic and social life. Predictions for cities in the information age range no less from their demise (Castells 1989) to their centrality as nodes in global production systems (Rutherford 2005, Zook 2005, Gordon 2011). The first purpose of this briefing paper is therefore to scope out the competing forces for urban centralisation and decentralisation resulting from ICT.