Hovels to Highrise traces how governments in five European countries became involved in replacing industrial revolution urban slums with mass high-rise, high density concrete estates. As the book considers each country's housing history and traditions, and analyses the contrasting structures and systems, it finds convergence of problems in the growing tensions of their most disadvantaged communities.
Anne Power underlines the continuing drift towards deeper polarization, a problem that the European Community will not be able to ignore with the interlocking but multi-lingual, multi-ethnic, urban societies of the future. The book's detailed coverage of the historical, political amd social changes relating to housing within the various countries make it an important text for students and practitioners concerned with housing, urban affairs, social policy and administration.