Joel Garreau (born 1948) is a journalist and author. Currently he works as the editor in charge of "cultural revolution" reporting at the Washington Post, as senior fellow at the School of Public Policy at George Mason University, and principal of The Garreau Group, which is "dedicated to the creation of more liveable and profitable urban areas worldwide." He also writes for Wired Magazine.

His work is often compared to that of Jane Jacobs or Ronald J. Oakerson for its focus on urban quality of life and autonomy of urban regions from suburbs and surrounding agricultural areas. His books and articles include:

• Nine Nations of North America, 1981, describing nine regions with distinctive political and cultural features in the United States, Canada and to a lesser degree in Mexico and the Caribbean islands.
• Edge City - Life on the New Frontier, 1991, about the end of central city growth, population and economic activity shifting to suburbs, and the urban secession and other autonomy struggles that arise.
• Radical Evolution, 2005, about the trend of technology towards shaping our evolution and the scenarios which the Vingean technological singularity may present.

See also: urban planning, measuring well-being

External links

• Edge City publisher's review
• bio of Joel Garreau at KurzweilAI
• Joel Garreau's web site
• Interview with Joel Garreau on WorldChanging

1948 births | Living people | Urban theorists