Sociologists from China and the US look at the rapidly growing Chinese city both as an element in the global economy, and also in terms of how globalization is impacting local features and conditions. Among their topics are theoretical implications of the global city perspective for Shanghai, competitive urban economic policies in global cities as evinced by Shanghai and Singapore, leaps and lags in the city's telecommunications and and information development, global influence and community building, and how and why locals consume fast foods and brand clothes globally. Annotation ©2009 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)