Placing the practice of urban design in its political, economic and cultural context, this book sets out a clear and positive vision of the potential of urban design, and in particular its capacity to bring imagined futures into being for the benefit of the many. Urban Design, Space and Society shows how urban design is concerned not only with the aesthetics and practicalities of designing urban spaces, but also with the pursuit of social inclusiveness, participatory democracy, cultural meaning and ecological sustainability. It covers a broad range of interrelated themes and demostrates how social and political theories shed light on an understanding of urban design. Drawing on these theories, as well as the author's own research, the book guides the reader through the complex challenges that design practitioners must navigate in meeting the diverse needs of urban society in the twenty-first century.Providing a clear guide to the role and potential of urban design, this is an invaluable text for students and professionals for urban design as well as those from related disciplines such as planning, architecture and geography.