From Polis to Metropolis, men and women have continued to struggle to perfect our cities. Urban history presents a picture of grand ideals and devastating failures. Towards Cosmopolis explores why we have failed, and how we could succeed, in building an urban Utopia – with a difference.Globalization, civil society, feminism and post–colonialism are the forces, ever shifting and changing our cities. We need a new vision to face such change. Sandercock pulls down the pillars of modernist city planning and raises in their place a new post–modern planning, a planning sensitive to community, environment and cultural diversity.Towards Cosmopolis is illustrated with case material from around the world – which present ′a thousand tiny empowerments′ of current planning practice – and with a superb range of specially commissioned images. This bold critique cuts to the heart of current debates about the future of our cities. It deserves a place on every citizen′s shelf.Slightly grubby fore-edge, otherwise very good.