Over the last quarter century, no other city like Miami has rapidly transformed into a global city. The Global Edge charts the social tensions and unexpected consequences of this remarkable process of change. Acting as a follow-up to the highly successful City on the Edge, The Global Edge examines Miami in the context of globalization and scrutinizes its newfound place as a major international city. Written by two well-known scholars in the field, the book examines Miami’s rise as a finance and banking center and the simultaneous emergence of a highly diverse but contentious ethnic mosaic. The Global Edge serves as a case study of Miami’s present cultural, economic, and political transformation, and describes how its future course can provide key lessons for other metropolitan areas throughout the world.
“This marvelously readable account blends sociological and political analysis with an extraordinary sense of place and a feel for the life of the city. It’s the best piece of urban sociology I have read in a long time.”—Philip Kasinitz, Presidential Professor of Sociology, City University of New York, Graduate Center
“This is the tale of Miami’s recent history: a city on the upswing, home to a mosaic of peoples. Rigorously researched, impressively informative, and wonderfully written, it should be a must-read for scholars, residents, and visitors alike.”—Felicia Marie Knaul, Director, University of Miami Institute for Advanced Study of the Americas
“Miami has it all: glitter, global, and sinking. Now it also has a book that deeply investigates the migrations, politics, and economic triumphs building into climate-change disaster. A fine work of investigative scholarship that does justice to travails and problematic prospects of modern urbanism.”—Harvey Molotch, coauthor of
Urban Fortunes “This is work of considerable sociological scholarship, written in a literary style that will attract all readers who wish to understand the real Miami beyond the headlines.”—Charles Hirschman, Emeritus Professor of Sociology, University of Washington
“Twenty-five years ago,
City on the Edge captured the unique dynamic that had shaken and shaped twentieth-century Miami. That book’s ‘postscript’ is now the ‘prescript’ for this splendid sequel, which vividly grasps the transformation of Miami into a global city perched on the edge of a treacherous future. A deeply insightful, fascinating contribution.”—Rubén G. Rumbaut, coauthor of
Immigrant America: A Portraitand
Legacies: The Story of the Immigrant Second Generation "A tour de force. The highly cited Alejandro Portes has made multiple lasting contributions to the study of migration, economic sociology, and Latin American development, among other fields. The Global Edge is an excellent work of social science. Portes and Argentinian senior political scientist, Ariel Armony, show their in-depth knowledge of Miami’s everyday dynamics, politics, history, and economics as they develop their analysis in a style that is easily readable and deeply enjoyable. This book presents a definitive account of Miami’s contemporary social history, with residents and non-residents alike gaining valuable insight into how Miami became what it is today."
