Comeback Cities

For centuries, certain cities in Europe were dominated by the textile industry—until the industry relocated to lower-wage countries, leaving these formerly prosperous cities languishing, their abandoned factories sitting unpurposed and untenanted. Comeback Cities presents the results of a unique study of the period following the demise of the textile industry across cities in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, England, Finland, France, Italy and Poland. The research focuses on the solutions these cities have conceived to recover from today's outsource economy. In a variety of case studies, Comeback Cities stimulates discussion on urban revitalization and international cooperation. Alongside this research, the book surveys the worldwide debate on this topic, and is richly illustrated with photographs.