Upgrading

Article Abstract:

There are a number of English towns which are seeking to become cities, and they include Swindon, Milton Keynes, Brighton and Reading. A royal charter is needed before a town can be called a city, though the popular notion is that a city has to have a cathedral. Cities and towns are both described as urban areas in national statistics. There are few clear benefits to being called a city, though it has been argued that it helps to attract foreign investment.

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Reclaiming Japan from the bureaucrats

Article Abstract:

A civic movement is developing in Japan, and bureaucrats are concerned by what they see as a challenge to their power. Faith in the bureaucracy has declined as a result of the recession. Ombudsmen have become more iportant, and there have been calls for referendums to allow votes on issues of interest to the public. Politicians have moved away from a previously close relationship with the bureaucracy. The civic movement may be weak, but it has aspirations.

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Reclaiming the night

Article Abstract:

The development of leisure zones in British urban centers is examined in detail from a socioeconomic perspective.

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