This book addresses problems of poverty and democratization, and their possible interactions. Its focus lies on marginalized populations within large cities of 'Third World' countries, where these problems have become most crystallized in a spatial sense. Based on field research from Brazil, Chile, Ivory Coast, and Kenya, the book focuses on the national and local contexts and the concrete forms of social structure, interest organization, political culture, and political participation in these cities, countries, and continents.

Dirk Berg-Schlosser is Professor of Political Science, and Norbert Kersting is Assistant Professor of Political Science, both at Marburg University in Germany.