The Urban Transition
For the first time in human history, more than half the world's population lives in cities — a threshold crossed in 2007. By 2050, an estimated 68% will be urban. Urbanization transforms every aspect of social life: from family structure (smaller, more diverse households) to social interaction (anonymity, diversity of contacts) to economic organization (service economies, gig work). The Chicago School of sociology pioneered urban analysis in the 1920s, studying how city ecology — concentric zones from inner city to suburbs — shaped social life. Today, megacities like Lagos, Mumbai, and Jakarta present new challenges: informal settlements housing millions, infrastructure strain, and extreme spatial inequality where luxury towers overlook slums.