IN his new book, "The City Beautiful and Globalization of Urban Planning" (Cambridge University Press, January 2025), Ian Morley subverts the Anglo-American-centered narrative of global urban planning. He reveals the unexpected role of Filipino urban planners in spreading the "City Beautiful" design beyond North America. Morley, an associate professor in the Department of History and associate professor (by courtesy) at the Chinese University of Hong Kong's (CUHK) Urban Studies Program, is also the author of several books on urban planning, including early 20th-century Philippines'.
The book intrigues as it does not only include sections on the Philippines but also on Australia and China. He recently spoke with The Manila Times about how his book shows how the City Beautiful is not merely an aesthetic project but was a tool for social and cultural reform.
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