More and more often city governments are forced to operate under extreme conditions: severe cutbacks in grants from national governments, low voter turnouts, taxpayer revolts, and a population of dissatisfied citizens. Urban Innovation addresses these issues by exploring how cities can adapt in the face of such challenges.

Based on survey data from the Fiscal Austerity Innovation Project, this volume reassesses theories of political leadership and government decision-making, and discusses the ways that cities have made innovations over the past decade. It reviews numerous specific strategies and their results. In addition, this volume also addresses issues such as race and class, the growth and decline of city governments, and the intergovernmental aid cutbacks made during the Reagan administration.

1. The turbulence of the past two decades is critical in reshaping our way of thinking about how governments work. Urban Innovation will be useful for students, faculty, and professionals in urban studies, political science, and policy studies.