As cidades como atores políticos

Abstract

Over the past decades, cities have expanded their role considerably both in the daily life of citizens — through the recovery of their heritage, by promoting great urbanistic transformations, by creating jobs and basic services, etc. — as well as in terms of international relations — by attracting greater investment, promoting tourism and large events, actively participating In world forums, and soon. The city definitely has assumed a central place in producing and dynamizing symbolic goods as well as in guaranteeing the general welfare of its population. Placing this view of the city against the back drop of the globalization process and taking into account a few exemplary cases, this article seeks to interpret the contemporary city as a political actor, one which promotes agreements and associations, which holds responsibility vis-à-vis society and the nation, and which represents a key position in the articulation between civil society, private enterprise and the different levels of government.