Tales of Two Cities

How does reshaping local government affect citizen involvement inpublic life? As cities move between centralized and decentralizedgovernance and conservative and progressive leadership, what brings outthe best and the worst in civic engagement? In this thought-provokingbook, Sylvia Bashevkin examines the consequences of divergentrestructuring experiences in London and Toronto. By focusing on theforced amalgamation of local boroughs in Toronto and the creation of anew metropolitan authority in London, she explores the fallout forwomen as urban citizens. Ultimately, context is crucial to whethermunicipal change signals pessimism or promise.