urban, cities, chaos, complexity, fractals, city, urban planning,urban studies, complexity theory, chaos theory, chaos, suburbs, sustainability, natural capital, Economic Crisis of 2008, Occupy Wall Street, Occupy Movement, direct democracy, participatory democracy, urban revitalization, cultural economy of cities, political economy of cities
16 November 2010
14 November 2010
Time Article (November 22, 2010) -"How to Shrink a City"
As I was thinking about this subject, I get in the mail the new issue of Time Magazine which includes an article on the ongoing crises in the US city. What providence? I am still reading it and will give my comments on this blog in the next couple of days. Any comments from the readers of this blog on this article and the 'imploding' city in the US would be welcome.
12 November 2010
Urban Planning for Austerity
The recovery from the recession is taking longer than expected. States are cutting budgets which are affecting cities. Cities are also losing more revenue due to the decreasing local funds, used for such essentials as fire, police and education, being based on property taxes and a sometimes a declining population. Also, in the emerging climate in Washington where many espousing to belong to the Tea Party, cities are not likely to get any additional funds to bridge these gaps. Is it time for cities to retrench by cutting expenses and services, hoping for an upturn in the economy and government, or is it time to innovate and create another future for themselves? Urban planning has been built around the expansion of cities, not their contraction. What should be the suggested strategies to confront these issues? These issues will be developed in future blog entries.
13 October 2010
03 October 2010
BMW Guggenheim Lab
From the BMW Guggenhem Lab webpage (http://www.guggenheim.org/guggenheim-foundation/collaborations/bmw-guggenheim )
The BMW Guggenheim Lab is a long-term global collaboration between the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation and BMW. Spanning six years of programmed activities that will engage people in nine major cities across the globe, the BMW Guggenheim Lab is conceived as an innovative movable structure, which will travel from city to city bringing together ambitious thinkers and becoming a public place for research, experimentation, and the sharing of ideas about major issues affecting urban life.
This project brings some interesting aspects of involvement of non-governmental actors in shaping the directions of cities.
12 June 2010
New Volume of Urbana for Summer 2010
The online journal Urbana: Urban Affairs and Public Policy (http://www.tamuk.edu/geo/Urbana/ ) is gearing up for a new volume in the late summer of 2010. We already have several very thought provoking manuscripts “in the pipeline” illustrating the broadness of those who consider themselves urbanists.
It is not too late to submit a manuscript to Urbana to be included in the summer 2010 volume. Please e-mail your manuscript to either one of the co-editors of Urbana which are:
Dr. Jesús A. Treviño C.
e-mail: jtrevino41@hotmail.com
Dr. Michael A. McAdams
e-mail: Michael.Mcadams@fredonia.edu
Urbana: Urban Affairs and Public Policy (http://www.tamuk.edu/geo/Urbana/ ) is a peer-reviewed journal which has been published as an on-line journal for over ten years. It has a ISSN number and is seeking to be indexed in a major indexing service. In 2011, it is planned to publish an urban reader which will be composed of selected articles from the past ten years. Future blog entries will inform readers about its availability for purchase.
It is not too late to submit a manuscript to Urbana to be included in the summer 2010 volume. Please e-mail your manuscript to either one of the co-editors of Urbana which are:
Dr. Jesús A. Treviño C.
e-mail: jtrevino41@hotmail.com
Dr. Michael A. McAdams
e-mail: Michael.Mcadams@fredonia.edu
Urbana: Urban Affairs and Public Policy (http://www.tamuk.edu/geo/Urbana/ ) is a peer-reviewed journal which has been published as an on-line journal for over ten years. It has a ISSN number and is seeking to be indexed in a major indexing service. In 2011, it is planned to publish an urban reader which will be composed of selected articles from the past ten years. Future blog entries will inform readers about its availability for purchase.
Role of Municipal and Regional Govenments in Conflict Resolution: A Case Study in Kars Region, Turkey
As have been discussed in an earlier blog entry, I am exploring the nature of cities and regions as para-diplomacy agents. This research will focus on the role of historic preservation in Kars Provence, Turkey. In July 2010, I will be traveling to Turkey to conduct research in this area in cooperation with Turkish colleagues. This will hopefully culminate in several papers to be published in indexed journals, a conference paper and possible grants with international organizations interested in non-violent conflict resolution.
The following is the abstract that has been submitted to the International Studies Association conference in Montreal, Canada to be held in March 2011. This should give to you a introduction to the research, I am pursuing.
Abstract:
The Role of Municipal and Regional Governments and Non-Profit Organizations (NGOs) as Para-Diplomatic Agents in Conflict Resolution in International Border Areas : A Case Study in the Kars Province in Turkey in Relation to the
Preservation of Russian and Armenia Historic Structures
Michael A. McAdams and Kocaman, Sinan
Political Science Department, SUNY-Fredonia, USA
Agri Ibrahim Cecen University, Department of Primary Education, Agri, Turkey
The preservation of cultural/historic resources in international border areas can have far reaching consequences beyond the mere preservation of historic sites. They have the potential to act as “olive branches” between countries which have experienced long term conflicts and negative cultural memories. They also represent a means for additional revenue and employment due to tourism. Border areas in all continents have often been occupied and settled by different ethnic and nationalities before the establishment of the present modern borders. In the case of the Kars Province, in the northeastern portion of Turkey, this area was occupied by various ethnic groups and Empires (Armenian, Russian, Byzantine, Ottoman etc.) which were present before the establishment of the Republic of Turkey. Tensions in this area are still persisting as the border between Turkey and Armenia, including the Kars border-crossing, has been closed by Turkey in protest to the occupation by Armenia of Nagorno-Karabakh which was previously under the sovereignty of Azerbaijan Although it has long been recognized that cultural tourism is a source of economic development, the ability for cultural monuments to be elements in international diplomacy has been discounted. These monuments when they exist along national borders particularly carry very strong possibilities to be vehicles of reconciliation that will lead to long term improved economic, social and political conditions between countries which have experienced negative cultural memories. This paper will investigate the efforts of historic preservation in Kars by local governments and Non Profit Organization and its potential as an informal diplomatic or para-diplomatic vehicle between Turkey, Armenia and Russia.
The following is the abstract that has been submitted to the International Studies Association conference in Montreal, Canada to be held in March 2011. This should give to you a introduction to the research, I am pursuing.
Abstract:
The Role of Municipal and Regional Governments and Non-Profit Organizations (NGOs) as Para-Diplomatic Agents in Conflict Resolution in International Border Areas : A Case Study in the Kars Province in Turkey in Relation to the
Preservation of Russian and Armenia Historic Structures
Michael A. McAdams and Kocaman, Sinan
Political Science Department, SUNY-Fredonia, USA
Agri Ibrahim Cecen University, Department of Primary Education, Agri, Turkey
The preservation of cultural/historic resources in international border areas can have far reaching consequences beyond the mere preservation of historic sites. They have the potential to act as “olive branches” between countries which have experienced long term conflicts and negative cultural memories. They also represent a means for additional revenue and employment due to tourism. Border areas in all continents have often been occupied and settled by different ethnic and nationalities before the establishment of the present modern borders. In the case of the Kars Province, in the northeastern portion of Turkey, this area was occupied by various ethnic groups and Empires (Armenian, Russian, Byzantine, Ottoman etc.) which were present before the establishment of the Republic of Turkey. Tensions in this area are still persisting as the border between Turkey and Armenia, including the Kars border-crossing, has been closed by Turkey in protest to the occupation by Armenia of Nagorno-Karabakh which was previously under the sovereignty of Azerbaijan Although it has long been recognized that cultural tourism is a source of economic development, the ability for cultural monuments to be elements in international diplomacy has been discounted. These monuments when they exist along national borders particularly carry very strong possibilities to be vehicles of reconciliation that will lead to long term improved economic, social and political conditions between countries which have experienced negative cultural memories. This paper will investigate the efforts of historic preservation in Kars by local governments and Non Profit Organization and its potential as an informal diplomatic or para-diplomatic vehicle between Turkey, Armenia and Russia.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)