Christian Lefèvre
Paris, métropole introuvable
PUF, 2017, 152 p. (Coll. La ville en débat)
The Paris metropolitan area is struggling to keep pace with globalization, despite its economic and cultural power, which makes it one of the world's leading cities. This is undoubtedly because its history and political culture have confined this territory to a national framework that is partly self-referential.
By comparing Paris with its two great rivals, London and New York, this book provides a better understanding of the historical and cultural uniqueness of the French capital. Largely dominated by the political world, the Île-de-France system of actors is finding it difficult to open up. The Île-de-France region thus appears to be a place of conflict where different worldviews clash, particularly regarding the region's place in globalization and policy priorities. Focusing mainly on the last twenty years and in particular on the debate on Greater Paris, the book shows that globalization remains unconsidered by most actors in the Paris region, which largely explains the conflicts that divide it.