As the Chinese society is rapidly transformed by the urbanization from 1980’s, the people have to face many urban problems, the forum of world urban history will help to explore the different characteristics and common experience in the history of European, American, African and Asian towns and cities.

The theme of ‘the second forum’ is The Urbanization in Comparative Perspective: History, Society and Culture. We will focus on
- the history of urban research: theory and methods,
- the urbanization: cities, suburb and rural areas, and
- the urban cultures and social life. The comparisons of urban history between European and Asian towns and cities are particularly encouraged.