Polarization reversal in the state of São Paulo, Brazil

Townroe P. M. and Keen D. (1984) Polarization reversal in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, Reg. Studies 18, 45–54. The concept of polarization reversal refers to the turning point from relative concentration to relative deconcentration in the spatial pattern of urban growth in a city region or nation. The paper argues that this important notion has been treated with some ambiguity in the literature. Alternative definitions and measures are illustrated using population statistics from the State of São Paulo in Brazil, a rapidly growing city region of 25 million in 1980, dominated by a metropolitan core of 12·6 million. Relative concentration of urban growth is shown to reverse in the 1970s.