The anthropocosmos model

Abstract

The authors of the papers in all three double issues of volume 70 of Ekistics, coming from the broad fields of Geography, History and a wide range of social sciences in general, refer to Society. They focus on Anthropos - Jean Gottmann - and his life-long contribution, through concrete theoretical concepts, to the understanding of the nature and dynamics of urbanization, as well as the structure, function and evolution of Human Settlements Systems. They interpret these principles and emphasize their validity in large-scale Human Settlements - from Metropolis through Megalopolis to Eperopolis - mainly in high- and middle-income countries (less in low-income ones). They demonstrate the relevance of Gottmann's concepts in explaining current global complex phenomena of a social, political and cultural nature. They also identify a set of urgent desirable priority themes for further research, ranging from the clarification of epistemological issues among disciplines to defining ways for expanding the relevance of these principles to the full spectrum of Human Settlements, and bringing them to an explicitly operational level for use by decision makers.