Chicago’s Global Status:
Is Chicago a “global city”?
GaWC: rates cities’ “global” status
[Globalization and World Cities Study Group
& Network: Loughborough University
English]
Proposed criterion for defining a
global or “world-class” city:
1. 1st name basis: “Paris,” not
“Winnemucca, Nevada” or
“Cleveland, Tennessee”
2. involvement in international affairs:
NATO: Brussels, UN: New York, etc.
Proposed criterion for defining a
global or “world-class” city:
3. population: 1+ million/ center of big
metro area.
4. big international airport with hubs
Proposed criterion for defining a
global or “world-class” city:
5. advanced transportation system:
mass transit, expressways, multiple
modes
6. international/immigrant communities:
Chinatown, Little Italy, diplomats,
etc.
Proposed criterion for defining a
global or “world-class” city:
7. International financial institutions, law
firms, corporate headquarters and stock
that have influence over the world
economy.
8. Advanced communications infrastructure:
fiberoptics, Wi-Fi networks, cell phone
services, high-speed communications.
Proposed criterion for defining a
global or “world-class” city:
9. World-renowned cultural institutions
10: A lively cultural scene
11: Several powerful and influential media outlets
with an international reach
Defining and ranking global
cities:
GaWC ranking system:
• ranked cities alpha, beta, gamma
• point-system based on "advanced producer
services," such as accounting, advertising,
banking/finance and law.
So where does Chicago stand?
Alpha Cities:
• 12 points: London, New York City,
Paris, Tokyo
Alpha Cities:
• 10 points: Chicago, Frankfurt,
Hong Kong, Los Angeles, Milan,
Singapore
Beta Cities:
• 9 points: San Francisco, Sydney, Toronto,
Zurich
• 8 points: Brussels, Madrid, Mexico City,
São Paulo
• 7 points: Moscow, Seoul
Gamma Cities:
• 6 points: Amsterdam; Boston; Caracas;
Dallas; Dusseldorf; Geneva; Houston;
Jakarta; Johannesburg; Melbourne;
Osaka; Prague; Santiago; Taipei;
Washington, D.C.; Montréal
• 5 points: Bangkok, Beijing, Rome,
Stockholm, Warsaw
Gamma Cities:
• 4 points: Atlanta, Barcelona, Berlin,
Buenos Aires, Budapest, Copenhagen,
Hamburg, Istanbul, Kuala Lumpur, Manila,
Miami, Minneapolis, Munich, Shanghai