The ten essays in *Future Challenges of Cities in Asia* engage with some of the most critical urban questions of the near future across Asia. These comprise socio-economic and cultural transitions as a result of urbanization; environmental challenges, especially questions of climate change, natural disasters, and environmental justice; and the challenges of urban infrastructure, built form, and new emerging types of urban settlements. The essays demonstrate that it is increasingly difficult to conceptualize the ‘urban’ as one particular type of settlement. Rather, it would be more accurate to say that the ‘urban’ characterizes a global transition in the way we are beginning to think about settlements. This book is of interest not only to researchers interested in comparative and inter-disciplinary research, but also to urban practitioners more broadly, illustrating through concrete cases the challenges that urban regions in Asia and beyond are facing, and the various opportunities that exist for dealing with these challenges.

[Dr. Gregory Bracken](https://www.tudelft.nl/staff/g.bracken/) is Assistant Professor of Spatial Planning and Strategy at the Urbanism Department of the Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment, Technical University of Delft, the Netherlands.[Dr. Paul Rabé](https://www.globalheritage.nl/people/paul-rabe) is Coordinator of the Urban Knowledge Network Asia (UKNA), based at the International Institute for Asian Studies in Leiden. He is also Senior Land Expert at the Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies at Erasmus University Rotterdam, as well as the Editor of the Asian Cities Series.[Dr. R. Parthasarathy](http://gidr.ac.in/faculty/13) is a MEGA Chair Professor and Director, Gujarat Institute of Development Research.[Dr. Neha Sami](https://iihs.co.in/iihs-people/team/neha-sami/) is Senior Academic and Research Consultant at the Indian Institute for Human Settlements.[Dr. Bing Zhang](https://sites.google.com/site/prcudweb/about-prcud/current-prcud-leadership-and-members/bing-zhang) is the Chief Planner of the China Academy of Urban Planning and Design and Adjunct Professor at Tongji and Tianjin Universities.

About the Three UKNA VolumesFuture Challenges of Cities in Asia: An IntroductionGregory Bracken, Paul Rabé, R. Parthasarathy, Neha Sami, and Bing ZhangHuman Agency in the Asian CityShiqiao LiTowards Inclusive, Vital and Livable City Scenarios: Transformation of Urban Villages in Shenzhen Lei QuCultural Dilemma in Beijing's Urban Regeneration: From Liulichang Antique Street to Qianmen Street and Yangmeizhu Oblique StreetWan LiuHousing as Heritage: The Great Urban Dilemma of the Global City of ShanghaiNon ArkaraprasertkulNot an Act of God: Lessons from a Disaster in the Settlements Planning of a River CityCarmeli Marie C. ChavesThe Political Ecology of Climate Injustice in BangkokDanny MarksAssessing Flood-related Vulnerability of the Urban Poor Hendricus Andy Simarmata, Anna-Katharina Hornidge, and Christoph AntweilerThe Ecological Future of Cities: Evaluating the Role of Green Infrastructure in Promoting Sustainability/Resilience in IndiaIan MellHong Kong's "Rail-Plus-Property" Development, a Model for Financing Public Transport in Southeast Asian Developing Cities? Clément MusilLarge Infrastructure Projects - The Emergence of Corridors in AsiaAmogh Arakali and Jyothi Koduganti