Informed by the work of writers such as Henri Lefebvre, Paul Ricoeur and Michel de Certeau, this collection of essays examines through multiple lenses eight topics related to the contemporary urban domain. The author employs powerful geographic and literary concepts such as space, narrative, and metaphor to interpret the often-bewildering complexity of the post-modern city. Recalling key aspects of our shared intellectual heritage, Passages: Explorations of the Contemporary City seeks to demystify the structure and historical development of the contemporary city in an accessible, engaging style. Passages is indispensable for those examining the city from either the professional design or the cultural studies standpoint.

Graham Livesey is associate professor in the Faculty of Environmental Design at the University of Calgary. He was a principal in Down + Livesey Architects of Calgary from 1995 to 2004.

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