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praxismultiplicity

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Researcher & Lecturer @ Plymouth Uni School of Architectural - Exploring subaltern narratives & the multiplicity of space. twitter @richardbower

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Chinese Investment in Africa [1280x1254]

Chinese Investment in Africa [1280x1254]

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South Sudan looking to deal with Sudan to pour oil on troubled waters People in Leer county hard hit by South Sudan’s oil shutdown hope the rapprochement with Sudan will lead to better times

South Sudan looking to deal with Sudan to pour oil on troubled waters

People in Leer county hard hit by South Sudan’s oil shutdown hope the rapprochement with Sudan will lead to better times

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Do resource extraction and the legacy of colonialism keep poor countries poor? In our second feature on development thinking, we examine economist Andre Gunder Frank and his dependency theory

Do resource extraction and the legacy of colonialism keep poor countries poor?

In our second feature on development thinking, we examine economist Andre Gunder Frank and his dependency theory

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Retreat, rekindle, refound Why are peoples behaviours changing? a) Because the system sucks. It no longer supports them and cannot provide them with the prosperity they are looking for and b), they can use network technologies to help them organise and come up with a workaround that functions for them. In advanced economies, where markets and institutions have evolved to take the place of, or correct for, the need for old-school survival strategies, these new network tools make it easy to rekindle and refound these skills for the 21st century, with people clustering around projects and ideas and then jetting off to cluster around someone or something else. And in so doing, they can eschew the cannibalistic capitalism that is mercilessly chowing down on anything and anyone in its path.

Retreat, rekindle, refound

Why are peoples behaviours changing?

a) Because the system sucks. It no longer supports them and cannot provide them with the prosperity they are looking for and b), they can use network technologies to help them organise and come up with a workaround that functions for them.

In advanced economies, where markets and institutions have evolved to take the place of, or correct for, the need for old-school survival strategies, these new network tools make it easy to rekindle and refound these skills for the 21st century, with people clustering around projects and ideas and then jetting off to cluster around someone or something else. And in so doing, they can eschew the cannibalistic capitalism that is mercilessly chowing down on anything and anyone in its path.

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UK arms sales and immigration policy hit commitment to development rating Britain is the only G7 country in the Commitment to Development Index top 10 – but questions over arms sales to undemocratic governments are driving down its rating

UK arms sales and immigration policy hit commitment to development rating

Britain is the only G7 country in the Commitment to Development Index top 10 – but questions over arms sales to undemocratic governments are driving down its rating

  • Niger’s nomadic herdsmen: mobile phones and camel markets – in pictures Following the rains has long been the traditional way of life for Niger’s nomadic herdsmen and their families, but drought is sucking the desert economy dry and forcing many to sell their much prized livestock at the markets in Bermo to survive
  • Niger’s nomadic herdsmen: mobile phones and camel markets – in pictures Following the rains has long been the traditional way of life for Niger’s nomadic herdsmen and their families, but drought is sucking the desert economy dry and forcing many to sell their much prized livestock at the markets in Bermo to survive
  • Niger’s nomadic herdsmen: mobile phones and camel markets – in pictures Following the rains has long been the traditional way of life for Niger’s nomadic herdsmen and their families, but drought is sucking the desert economy dry and forcing many to sell their much prized livestock at the markets in Bermo to survive
  • Niger’s nomadic herdsmen: mobile phones and camel markets – in pictures Following the rains has long been the traditional way of life for Niger’s nomadic herdsmen and their families, but drought is sucking the desert economy dry and forcing many to sell their much prized livestock at the markets in Bermo to survive

Niger’s nomadic herdsmen: mobile phones and camel markets – in pictures

Following the rains has long been the traditional way of life for Niger’s nomadic herdsmen and their families, but drought is sucking the desert economy dry and forcing many to sell their much prized livestock at the markets in Bermo to survive

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Economic disaster beckons as water-hungry investors buy up Africa’s land Water drawn from rivers, dams or underground to irrigate new farms in Africa may severely affect users downstream The rush of foreign investments in African farmland by “ecologically ignorant” pension groups, sovereign wealth funds and speculators will end in economic disaster and possibly even conflict, some of the world’s leading water experts have predicted.

Economic disaster beckons as water-hungry investors buy up Africa’s land

Water drawn from rivers, dams or underground to irrigate new farms in Africa may severely affect users downstream

The rush of foreign investments in African farmland by “ecologically ignorant” pension groups, sovereign wealth funds and speculators will end in economic disaster and possibly even conflict, some of the world’s leading water experts have predicted.

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Putting vacant space to use, in the meantime Patience, I hear, is a virtue. I wouldn’t know; I am an impatient person by nature. While parenthood and living for a year in a Mediterranean country have done wonders to temper this, impatience remains intrinsic to my DNA. Lately I’ve been thinking, though, that maybe patience is overrated. As I live and work in some of the Chicago neighborhoods hit hardest by economic recession, I see the effects of our collective patience every day. I see it reflected in our “all or nothing” focus: public funding and systems of recognition – like grand openings and awards – go toward the full realization of a space. Up and down the streets of our neighborhoods, it is clear that we view the use of space in one of two ways: its highest and best use, or nothing at all. That is, either a corner in North Lawndale becomes a newly constructed, multi-family affordable apartment building, or it stays a bunch of trash-strewn vacant lots.

Putting vacant space to use, in the meantime

Patience, I hear, is a virtue. I wouldn’t know; I am an impatient person by nature. While parenthood and living for a year in a Mediterranean country have done wonders to temper this, impatience remains intrinsic to my DNA. Lately I’ve been thinking, though, that maybe patience is overrated. As I live and work in some of the Chicago neighborhoods hit hardest by economic recession, I see the effects of our collective patience every day.

I see it reflected in our “all or nothing” focus: public funding and systems of recognition – like grand openings and awards – go toward the full realization of a space. Up and down the streets of our neighborhoods, it is clear that we view the use of space in one of two ways: its highest and best use, or nothing at all. That is, either a corner in North Lawndale becomes a newly constructed, multi-family affordable apartment building, or it stays a bunch of trash-strewn vacant lots.

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The Economic Secret of Vacant City Spaces Most of us feel attached to our neighborhoods, but can this emotional connection help fuel local economies? According to a multi-year study byGallup and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the answer is yes: Communities with high levels of attachment actually have higher local GDP growth.

The Economic Secret of Vacant City Spaces

Most of us feel attached to our neighborhoods, but can this emotional connection help fuel local economies? According to a multi-year study byGallup and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the answer is yes: Communities with high levels of attachment actually have higher local GDP growth.

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Food shortages could force world into vegetarianism, warn scientists Water scarcity’s effect on food production means radical steps will be needed to feed population expected to reach 9bn by 2050

Food shortages could force world into vegetarianism, warn scientists

Water scarcity’s effect on food production means radical steps will be needed to feed population expected to reach 9bn by 2050

Robert Neuwirth, author of “Shadow Cities,” finds the world’s squatter sites — where a billion people now make their homes — to be thriving centers of ingenuity and innovation. He takes us on a tour.

To research his new book, “Stealth of Nations,” Robert Neuwirth spent four years among street vendors, smugglers and “informal” import/export firms.

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Scientists urge sustainable development of Namibia’s newly found aquifer The aquifer straddling the border with Angola could provide water for 400 years, but despite the excitement scientists warn it is not a panacea for Namibia

Scientists urge sustainable development of Namibia’s newly found aquifer

The aquifer straddling the border with Angola could provide water for 400 years, but despite the excitement scientists warn it is not a panacea for Namibia

Cities and Economic Development

Urban areas are the most productive parts of the developing world, yet concentrated urban poverty presents some of the biggest policy challenges. This debate will address the potential and the challenges of economic development in urban areas.

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Survival Lessons From an Ancient Failed City EDWARD J. BLAKELY The city of Angkor Wat, Cambodia, was a vibrant, growing metropolis in the late 17th century. Angkor was the New York, Paris or Rome of its time. At its peak from the 9th to 17th centuries AD, no one could have imagined any threat to this Khmer city-state. Yet, Angkor collapsed almost totally in the 17th century, and the reasons behind its demise offer an important lesson for today’s cities. Angkor was built on a vast transportation network: canals acted substantially like freeways. The metropolis grew by expanding its network of canals from the central city to form a vast complex of suburban satellites. As depicted below, this was a gigantic enterprise. Ankgor grew exponentially as internal wealth and power increased. The waterways allowed goods and people to move well beyond the central core of the city.

Survival Lessons From an Ancient Failed City

  • EDWARD J. BLAKELY

  • The city of Angkor Wat, Cambodia, was a vibrant, growing metropolis in the late 17th century. Angkor was the New York, Paris or Rome of its time. At its peak from the 9th to 17th centuries AD, no one could have imagined any threat to this Khmer city-state. Yet, Angkor collapsed almost totally in the 17th century, and the reasons behind its demise offer an important lesson for today’s cities.

Angkor was built on a vast transportation network: canals acted substantially like freeways. The metropolis grew by expanding its network of canals from the central city to form a vast complex of suburban satellites. As depicted below, this was a gigantic enterprise. Ankgor grew exponentially as internal wealth and power increased. The waterways allowed goods and people to move well beyond the central core of the city.

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Is the 0.7% aid target still relevant? The commitment made by ‘economically advanced countries’ to spend 0.7% of their gross national income on aid may no longer be a major factor in the progress of developing countries

Is the 0.7% aid target still relevant?

The commitment made by ‘economically advanced countries’ to spend 0.7% of their gross national income on aid may no longer be a major factor in the progress of developing countries