The term global city entered the lexicon of urban sociology through the 1991 publication of The Global City: New York, London, Tokyo, a foundational text authored by Saskia Sassen. Her academic output examines how economic restructuring and capital flow reorganize urban environments, challenging established notions of how nation states maintain control over domestic and international developments.
Early Education and Academic Training
Born in 1947 in The Hague, Sassen spent her youth in Italy and Argentina. Her formal education spanned several international institutions, beginning in 1966 with studies in philosophy and political science at the University of Poitiers, the Università degli Studi de Roma, and the University of Buenos Aires. She later transitioned to sociology and economics at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana. There, she earned an M.A. in 1971 and completed her Ph.D. in 1974 under the direction of Fabio Dasilva. Additionally, she holds a master’s degree in philosophy from the University of Poitiers.
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Sassen’s professional work focuses on the intersection of globalization, urban planning, and economic sociology. During the 1980s and 1990s, she analyzed the impacts of transnationalism, human migration, and the influence of communication technology on state governance. Her research identifies how national governments lose sovereignty to global forces, a concept she explored in works such as Losing Control? Sovereignty in an Age of Globalization and Territory, Authority, Rights: From Medieval to Global Assemblages. Her writing has been translated into 21 languages.
Current Roles and Academic Honors
Sassen currently serves as the Robert S. Lynd Professor of Sociology at Columbia University and as a Centennial Visiting Professor of Political Economy at the London School of Economics. She is a member of the Academia Europaea. Her research contributions have earned significant recognition, including the 2013 Princess of Asturias Award for Social Sciences. She has also received numerous honorary doctorates, including those from the University of Poitiers in 2010, ENS in 2014, the University of Murcia in 2014, the University of Valencia in 2016, and the Universidad de Guadalajara in 2017.
Fast facts
- Born: 1947, The Hague
- Citizenship: United States
- Key concept: Global city
- Current employer: Columbia University and London School of Economics
- Academic background: Ph.D. from University of Notre Dame
- 2013 Award: Princess of Asturias Award for Social Sciences
- Notable work: The Global City: New York, London, Tokyo
Questions readers ask
What is the global city theory?
It is a sociological framework developed by Sassen that describes how specific cities function as critical hubs for the global economy, influenced by the movement of capital and labor.
Where does Saskia Sassen teach?
She is the Robert S. Lynd Professor of Sociology at Columbia University and a Centennial Visiting Professor at the London School of Economics.
Achievements
- Held posts at London School of Economics and Political Science and Columbia University
- Fields: globalization and global city
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