Saskia Sassen (1949—) is widely recognized as a preeminent scholar in the field of global city theory; indeed, she is credited with having coined the term global city. Her early works in particular are considered seminal contributions to the understanding of global cities. They have provided a foundation for subsequent theoretical and empirical explorations of the links between globalization and urbanization, and the sociospatial impact of capitalist economic restructuring.

Sassen was born in 1949 in the Netherlands and moved as a child to Buenos Aires. Her undergraduate studies were undertaken at universities in Argentina and Italy. In 1973 she earned an MA from the University of Poitiers, France, and in 1974 Sassen completed a PhD in economics and sociology at Notre Dame University in Indiana. She ...