This book, written by a leading sociologist, tells Edinburgh's modern story and unveils its power structure. It examines its politics, formal and informal; its changing political economy; and the rise of its status as Festival city. Behind all this lies a complex system of money and culture, of presumed social status tied into a hierarchy of schools and institutions, universities, banks and finance houses. The book explores arguments about what sort of city Edinburgh should be and what it should look like. It examines planning controversies, from post-war developments through various ‘holes in the ground’ up to and including The Trams controversy. Studying Edinburgh lets us draw lessons about cities in general, and their roles in the modern world.

David McCrone is a clear-eyed observer of Edinburgh and its peculiarities. He has here constructed a multifaceted analysis of power in the city, firmly grounded in urban sociology, contemporary public administration, and a keen understanding of Edinburgh’s history. Its style is approachable and engaged. This is an essential addition to the literature of Edinburgh. -- Wilson Smith * Book of the Old Edinburgh Club *
The author of The New Sociology of Scotland (2017) adds to his scholarly production another masterful work, revealing his profound attachment to Edinburgh, but also the unique width and depth of his sociological sophistication. It discusses also non-conventional aspects of the town's landscape, for instance the diverse (and contrasting) private vs public makings of various sections of it, and the economic interests each embodies - or sacrifices. But McCrone also contributes most convincingly to the challenging question "who runs Edinburgh?" -- Gianfranco Poggi, Department of Sociology, University of Virginia
David McCrone, the greatest of all analysts of Scotland, turns his attention here to the changing character of Edinburgh, the city in which he lives. The book is luminous, original, amusing and brilliant—the best book on the city and a major contribution to understanding the nature of cities in the contemporary world. -- John A. Hall, Emeritus Professor of Sociology, McGill University

David McCrone is emeritus Professor of Sociology at the University of Edinburgh; a Fellow of the British Academy, and the Royal Society of Edinburgh. He co-founded the university’s Institute of Governance in 1999, and has written extensively on the sociology and politics of Scotland, and the comparative study of nationalism. His books include Who Runs Edinburgh? (Edinburgh University Press, 2022), The New Sociology of Scotland (Sage Publications, 2017), and The Sociology of Nationalism: tomorrow’s ancestors (Routledge, 1998). He coordinated a series of studies on national identity in Scotland and in England, funded by The Leverhulme Trust, which culminated in his co-authored book Understanding National Identity, published in 2015 by Cambridge University Press.