To bear the tolerant ones. The European middle city: an alternative to the globalization

Abstract

The modernization process comes to an end when we achieve modernity that is the final goal of modernization. In the same way the urbanization process terminates with the fusion of the cities in an all-urban world. We can make the same claim regarding the globalization process: the evolution toward a unified world, from the economic and relational point of view (and partly, even, the political), is about to be attained, if not already achieved. Thus, it is necessary to identify new objectives and new processes. At present, these processes and objectives are not yet clearly visible, but a radical change can be expected soon. Instead of following the methods of the post-modern period, when we studied everything on the basis of the past, i.e. modernization/modernity, we now must think in terms of pre-something. We are at the eve of a reformulation and a structuring of new ideas which will provide solutions for the environmental emergency and the crisis of Nation States. Middle-sized European cities and some North American communities have the ability to be harbingers of this incoming change.