Though always at the heart of discussions in social theory, the definition and specification of 'the city' remains illusive. Here, Hubbard's fascinating book locates the concept of 'the city' within current traditions of social thought, providing a basis for understanding its varying usages and meanings. Spelling out the importance of a geographical perspective on the city, the book suggests that it is only by bringing different ways of mapping it together that we can begin to make sense of it. Considering some of the most important issues in contemporary debates on urban spatiality, Hubbard analyzes the decisive contributions of key feminist, post-structural and post-modern theorists to our understanding of the city. Individual chapters offer a thematic overview of four dominant ways of approaching cities: as lived-in places; as imagined spaces; as networks of association; and, as technologies of flow. Drawing on a diverse range of literature and case studies, Hubbard's incisive guide shows how contemporary approaches to 'city' studies frame the 'urban question' in ways different to those developed in past decades. Arguing that academics need to reconsider what is truly distinctive about urban space, and that 'space' must once again be taken seriously, this book represents an important intervention in contemporary society and space debates.