Since the end of the 19th century, social scientists, such as Georg Simmel and Max Weber in particular, have been engaged in developing theoretical concepts aimed at providing insight into the economic and socio-cultural significance of the (European) city. These concepts gained in prominence at the end of the 20th century, with the notion of the European city coming under pressure mainly due to the influence of the globalization of economic processes. The viability of the accepted model of the European city is now at stake.