The main stages of urbanization and their comprehension in contemporary sociological theory

Abstract

The article discusses the main stages of urbanization, which are distinguished on the basis of Soja’s concept of urban revolutions. The specificity of the spatial organization of each of the stages is analyzed. Particular attention is paid to the features of the current stage of urbanization, in which there are not only cities, but also more complex spatial formations, such as agglomerations. The article focuses on the postmetropolis as the main contemporary spatial form, according to Soja, which is replacing the traditional metropolis. This process is a result of the development of information and communication technologies. The transformation of the suburbs is also considered; the suburbs are turning from homogeneous residential areas into multifunctional “edge cities” and even “edgeless cities”, which are extremely difficult to map due to their dispersal over vast territories. Modern urbanization demonstrates a spatial morphology that reflects the changes caused by the formation of a postindustrial society, globalization and scientific and technological progress.