This collection of academic texts examines the complex relationship between urban social problems, economic restructuring, and the varying roles of welfare state regimes. By comparing cities across North America and Europe, the authors analyze how different national policies and housing markets influence patterns of ethnic and socio-economic segregation. The research highlights a significant contrast between the United States, where racialized ghettos and extreme inequality are more pronounced, and European nations, where redistributive social systems tend to moderate these divisions. Case studies from cities like Chicago, Toronto, Belfast, and Amsterdam illustrate how global shifts from manufacturing to service economies create new risks of social exclusion. Ultimately, the sources argue that while globalization exerts universal pressure, local institutional contexts and governmental interventions remain decisive in shaping the level of integration within metropolitan areas.