First in-depth study of Manuell Castells pioneering workTraces Castells thought from his work on urban change in the 1970s to his recent theories of global social transformationsDistills the central ideas in Castells work into an accessible and concise introduction for undergraduate studentsExplores Castells writings on the network society, informational capitalism and democracy in crisisProvides a critical analysis of Castells thought in relation to ongoing debates about globalization