ABSTRACT
In this chapter we provide an overview of recent research into the IPE of cities and urbanization in Latin America. In a first step we revise the most influential theoretical approaches on capitalist urbanization, from geo-historical materialism over global city theory to planetary urbanization and global urbanism. Based on this theoretical framework we revise the recent literature on cities and urbanization in Latin America. We present studies that evidence global city formation in Latina America, the role of different types of megaprojects in urban restructuring and the coupling of urban space to financialized capital circuits, discuss the fast growing literature on urban financialization, especially housing, and new forms and conceptualizations of extended urbanization, that is, the operationalization of hinterlands especially for resource extraction. We conclude the chapter with reflections on some missing links and future research needs.
