Urban geography I: Conceptualisation with and beyond the global-local dialectic

McFarlane, Colin

Abstract

In this report, I explore recent work in urban geography to reflect on one of its pervasive ‘thought-infrastructures’: the global-local dialectic. This dialectic features as a prominent force in how we debate, write, and teach cities and urbanization. My aim is not to argue against this dialectic, but to call for greater reflection on it and the work it does, including its increasing resolution through forms of ‘missing middle’. I suggest that de-centring the global-local dialectic may allow greater space for other ways of thinking, writing, and teaching urban geographies – other thought-infrastructures – and set out examples.

Citation

McFarlane, C. (2025). Urban geography I: Conceptualisation with and beyond the global-local dialectic. Progress in Human Geography, 49(1), 99-108. https://doi.org/10.1177/03091325241295294

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Oct 10, 2024
• Online Publication Date: Oct 25, 2024
• Publication Date: 2025-02
• Deposit Date: Oct 24, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Nov 15, 2024
• Journal: Progress in Human Geography
• Print ISSN: 0309-1325
• Electronic ISSN: 1477-0288
• Publisher: SAGE Publications
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 49
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 99-108
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/03091325241295294
• Keywords: scale, urban theory, explanation, Urban geography, global-local dialectic
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/2982410