The Emergence of Bologna and its Future Consequences. Decentralization as Cohesion Catalyst in Guild Dominated Urban Networks

The following paper is on the emergence of observable complexity in urban networks visualized as product of essentially non-observable social processes. The methodology unfolded here draws on recent insight of econophysics in the strict sense under a top-down perspective of laying the foundations for a modern view to the evolution of dynamical structures in nature. The conception presented here deals with a section of ongoing cooperative research work being undertaken by the authors in collaboration with Giorgio Colacchio (now U Lecce). A first perspective as to the basic aspects of approach has been given in a joint paper in order to lay down the main ideas in some detail: R.E.Zimmermann, A.Soci, G.Colacchio (2001): Reconstructing Bologna. The City as an Emergent Computational System. An Interdisciplinary Study in the Complexity of Urban Structures. Part I: Basic Ideas & Fundamental Concepts. http://www.arXiv.org/pdf/nlin.AO/0109025 v2.