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Using capital cities in Australia, Belgium, Canada, Ethiopia, Germany, India, Mexico, Nigeria, South Africa, Switzerland, and the United States as case studies, contributors examine federal policies towards capital cities, with a particular emphasis on how capital cities are funded and governed, and the extent to which the federal government compensates them for their unique role.

Why do autocrats build spectacular new capital cities? InThe Geopolitics of Spectacle, Natalie Koch considers how autocratic rulers use \"spectacular\" projects to shape state-society relations, but rather than focus on the standard approach-on the project itself-she considers the unspectacular \"others.\" The contrasting views of those from the poorest regions toward these new national capitals help her develop a geographic approach to spectacle. Koch uses Astana in Kazakhstan to exemplify her argument, comparing that spectacular city with others from resource-rich, nondemocratic nations in central Asia, the Arabian Peninsula, and Southeast Asia.The Geopolitics of Spectacledraws new political-geographic lessons and shows that these spectacles can be understood only from multiple viewpoints, sites, and temporalities. Koch explicitly theorizes spectacle geographically and in so doing extends the analysis of governmentality into new empirical and theoretical terrain. With cases ranging from Azerbaijan to Qatar and Myanmar, and an intriguing account of reactions to the new capital of Astana from the poverty-stricken Aral Sea region of Kazakhstan, Koch's book provides food for thought for readers in human geography, anthropology, sociology, urban studies, political science, international affairs, and post-Soviet and central Asian studies.

In the electronic age, documents appear to have escaped their paper confinement. But we are still surrounded by flows of paper with enormous consequences. In the planned city of Islamabad, order and disorder are produced through the ceaseless inscription and circulation of millions of paper artifacts among bureaucrats, politicians, property owners, villagers, imams (prayer leaders), businessmen, and builders. What are the implications of such a thorough paper mediation of relationships among people, things, places, and purposes? Government of Paper explores this question in the routine yet unpredictable realm of the Pakistani urban bureaucracy, showing how the material forms of postcolonial bureaucratic documentation produce a distinctive political economy of paper that shapes how the city is constructed, regulated, and inhabited. Files, maps, petitions, and visiting cards constitute the enduring material infrastructure of more ephemeral classifications, laws, and institutional organizations. Matthew S. Hull develops a fresh approach to state governance as a material practice, explaining why writing practices designed during the colonial era to isolate the government from society have become a means of participation in it.

In this article, we discuss the role of second-tier cities in the socio-economic and innovative development of countries. A methodological approach is proposed for carrying out a comparative analysis of the contribution of second-tier and capital cities in the national settlement systems of Europe and Russia. The proposed approach was tested by analysing the contribution of second-tier cities to the demographic development of several countries. In European countries, a more homogeneous distribution of the population between capitals and second-tier cities was observed. This finding indicates a higher competitiveness of European cities in comparison, for example, with Russian cities in terms of human capital attraction and retention. In Russia, the national settlement system traditionally pivots around Moscow and St. Petersburg. On the other hand, the population dynamics of second cities in Eastern Europe is negative for most countries, thereby indicating a migration outflow of their inhabitants toward national capitals. The conducted comparison of the key economic indicators (GDP and GDP per capita) of urbanized areas in all analysed countries showed second-tier cities to be less competitive than national capitals. In this respect, European cities seem to be more successful on a national scale compared to Russian cities with a population of over one million people. The contribution of second-tier cities to innovative development is higher in Western European countries, compared to Eastern Europe, where the innovation potential is largely concentrated in capitals. In terms of this indicator, Russia occupies an intermediate position.

This paper explains the relationship between public services expenditure and agglomeration economy from the perspective of spatial structure, considering that the allocation of public service expenditure by local governments does not fully leverage the benefits of agglomeration effects. We constructed a general equilibrium model that examines the close relationship between public service expenditure and agglomeration effect. From a spatial structure perspective, regions are categorized into monocentric and polycentric spatial structures. We discussed the scale of urban expansion and the level of public service expenditure in secondary cities across these different types of spatial structures. It was examined 31 provincial capitals of China as research samples to validate the applicability of theoretical mechanism analysis. Six models were constructed using 2S-GMM to investigate the relationship between the public service expenditure and agglomeration effect. Meanwhile, the PTR method was employed to develop 36 models to assess the threshold effect of urban expansion scale and public service expenditure in the second city of the region, focusing on the influence mechanism of public service expenditure allocation on the agglomeration effect. Three noteworthy conclusions are as follows: (1) the scale and structure of public service expenditure has a positive influence on agglomeration effect. (2) in monocentric structure areas, we should focus on the impact of the public services expenditure structure on agglomeration effect in the changes of urban scale. (3) in polycentric structure areas, we should focus on the impact of the public services expenditure structure on agglomeration effect in the changes of scale of public services in the second central city. This research not only have enhanced the theoretical influence mechanism of public service expenditure on the agglomeration effect from the perspective of spatial structure, but also offers guidance on the allocation of public service expenditure in provincial capital cities.

The relocation of Indonesia's capital city from Jakarta to Nusantara in East Kalimantan, as proposed by President Joko Widodo, represents a profound shift in the nation's urban and political geography. This initiative, founded on development equity and national unity goals, seeks to shift from an 'evolved city' framework to a 'designed city' model. However, the rapid decision-making process, which lasted only 43 days, and the apparent lack of inclusive public deliberation and participation in critical decisions raises concerns about the democratic underpinnings of this endeavour. Historical precedents from countries such as the United States, Canada, and Australia highlight the benefits of a democratic approach to capital determination, while examples from Nigeria highlight the risks associated with non-democratic processes. For Indonesia, ensuring a democratic, participatory, and inclusive approach is critical not only for successfully relocating the capital but also for preserving the integrative, symbolic, and cultural functions of a capital city. In Indonesia, the hasty passage of the capital city law jeopardizes not only the successful implementation of the relocation but also the integrative, symbolic, and cultural roles that a capital city should play. This paper contends that the absence of democratic and spatial compromise could jeopardize the relocation's intended goals, putting Indonesia's new capital's functional efficacy at risk. The Capital City represents the heart and embodiment of a nation. Consequently, it serves not only as the administrative center of government but also plays a crucial role in supporting national integration, symbolizing the nation, preserving its values, culture, and history, and embodying its identity. Therefore, the Capital City should encapsulate the general spirit of a nation. The ongoing process of relocating the Capital City in Indonesia must consider various factors, including geographical, environmental, social, economic, and legal aspects, particularly involving active participation from the public. This ensures that the entire spectrum of the Indonesian nation shares ownership of the Capital City. Without this holistic approach, relocating the Capital City in Indonesia risks failure.

Solid waste management is a global challenge, especially in developing countries due to the rapid increase in population and urbanization where the availability of sanitary landfills is inevitable. Determining suitable landfill sites is a fundamental aspect for new and rapidly growing cities. The current study is aimed at selecting potential landfill sites using GIS-based multi-criteria decision analysis in Dodoma capital city. Fifteen criteria including proximity from built-up areas, surface water, boreholes, sensitive sites including social service areas, episodic water channels, protected areas including historical sites, faults, land use/land cover, geology, soil type, elevation, slopes, airport, roads, and earthquake epicentres were integrated with the help of analytical hierarchy process (AHP). The landfill sites’ suitability map was produced based on the weighted linear combination method and assigned suitability classes as highly suitable, suitable, moderately suitable, less suitable, and unsuitable. The overall suitability results show that 41,177 ha (14.7%) of the study area is determined as highly suitable for landfills site location. The remaining 83,930 ha (30%), 84,305 ha (30.2%), and 53,508 ha (19.1%) of the area are suitable, moderately suitable, and less suitable respectively while 16,683 ha (6%) is under the unsuitable zone. From the highly suitable area, eleven candidate landfill sites were selected and prioritized using the AHP technique. The final results show landfill site 3 (10,361.94 ha), 5 (3717.85 ha), and 2 (3535.86 ha) were found to be the most highly suitable sites with eigenvector weight of 0.147, 0.122, and 0.121 respectively. Landfill sites 8, 7, and 6 were lastly considered. Field observation involving expertise from geology, hydrogeology, geophysical, and environment confirmed the suitability of selected sites. Thus, these techniques can be employed in developing countries to locate suitable landfill sites to minimize health and environmental impacts.

This study aims to analyze the implementation of environmental policies in developing New Capita City (IKN) in Indonesia. IKN is a large-scale project that demands a comprehensive and effective environmental policy to maintain environmental sustainability. This study uses a qualitative approach focusing on thematic analysis through the results of examining official government documents. The analysis tool that is maximized is Nvivo 12 Plus. The research results show that implementing environmental policies in the IKN area faces complex challenges, including coordination between institutions and stakeholders. The proposed recommendations include implementing accommodative and adaptive policies, routine monitoring and evaluation, close collaboration between the government and stakeholders, and increasing public education efforts and environmental awareness. Policies that are responsive, flexible, and involve all parties will be the basis for achieving environmental sustainability goals in the development of IKN. This study provides an in-depth look at the implementation of environmental policy in the development of the new Capital City (IKN) in Indonesia, highlighting the complex challenges faced and essential recommendations for achieving environmental sustainability. With a focus on thematic analysis using Nvivo 12 Plus, the findings of this research provide a valuable contribution to policy practitioners, environmental scientists and other stakeholders involved in the development of the New Capital City. It is hoped that the results of this research will become the basis for formulating more effective and sustainable policies, as well as inspiring close collaboration between government and society in order to achieve sustainable development goals.

Walkability is an important indicator of sustainable urban development, especially in fragmented historical blocks affected by modern development efforts. Xi’an, China, and Kyoto, Japan, which are among the oldest cities in Asia, have similar historical backgrounds and a grid-based street network that differs from European historical cities. They also have their own distinctive development characteristics. This study uses a novel quantitative approach to identify areas for improvement in the historical built environment of the two cities that, as part of an overall effort to create a pedestrian-friendly urban center, will promote and facilitate walking activities. The proposed method combines macro- and micro-aspects to identify factors that can either improve or hinder the walking environment. It was found that to ensure a walkable environment in its historical blocks, Xi’an will need to consider the potential negative impact on walkability as it pursues increased modernization. The built environment and the infrastructure of its streets need to be improved, and its historical streetscape and vegetation characteristics need to be maintained. As for Kyoto, to ensure a favorable walking environment, the focus should be on improving the vitality of its streets.

The relocation of the Indonesian capital city from Jakarta to East Kalimantan had an impact on the socio-cultural aspects of the society. This research aims to understand the extent to which the development of IKN can trigger polarisation or, conversely, increase social cohesion. A mixed-methods approach is used in this research's methodology. This research is located in the Core Area of the Government Centre of IKN, the IKN Area, and the Development Area of IKN. The research results show that, in general, there is social cohesion between local communities and newcomers, while social polarisation is not yet visible. In general, the development of IKN can strengthen society's adaptation to major changes, although specific challenges related to perceptions of security need to be overcome strategically.