An Essay on Urban Economic Theory

"An Essay on Urban Economic Theory" offers a comprehensive analysis of urban economic theory, which has become one of the most dynamic research areas in urban and regional economics over the past three decades. The book addresses the static allocation of resources within and between cities, considered a central theme of urban economic theory. Part I presents an elegant and rigorous depiction of various variants of the monocentric model, which serves as the cornerstone of urban economic theory. This section discusses equilibrium, optimum, and comparative statistics. In contrast, Part II explores less familiar and partially uncharted territories by examining the intra-urban location of residential and non-residential activities as a result of the fundamental trade-off between the inclination to interact and the aversion to congestion. This nuanced examination leads to a polycentric agglomeration pattern and develops models of an urbanized economy with trade between specialized cities. The book is part of the new series "Advances in Urban and Regional Economics," which provides a platform for longer scholarly works on urban and regional topics.