Seeing beyond the metropolis: metropolitan bias and the Angolan system of cities

Abstract

Urban research is becoming more representative of multifaceted urban conditions, but even a more inclusive urban lens often gravitates towards the metropolis. In this paper, I introduce metropolitan bias as the excessive concentration of people, economic activity, resources, and knowledge production in and on an urban system’s largest city. I illustrate the dynamics of metropolitan bias in the evolution of the Angolan system of cities and call for a perspective that recognizes the variegated political implications of metropolitan dominance for smaller cities. To this end, I highlight three entry points for future research: economic development, climate change, and governance.