With nearly half the world's population now urbanised, cities are increasingly unable to cope. This major global review examines the different histories and current patterns of slum and squatter settlements in the economically most successful, middle range and very poorest Third World countries.

It examines the range of strategies, including the most recent experiments in local community - private sector partnership, that have been used to try and improve housing conditions for the very poor and why they have so often failed. It also reviews the state of existing policy-oriented research with a view to understanding the possible future of these settlements.

1. The authors include architects, planners, engineers and social scientists. Their emphasis throughout is on the key role of local participants and the necessity to abandon top-down approaches.