O Brasil está vivendo um delicado momento com o aumento da violência e com uma sensação generalizada de falta de segurança. Manchetes se repetem em todo o país – roubos, assassinatos, violência no trânsito. Se por um lado, temos um Governo ineficiente sem a força necessária para combater essa insegurança; por outro, vemos uma sociedade impaciente e começando a fazer “justiça com as próprias mãos”. Leia mais.
Brazil is living a difficult moment, with the increase of violence and lack of security. The main headlines in different parts of Brazil are the same – robberies attacks, murders, traffic disasters. On one hand, we have an inefficient government with no power to solve problems and reduce insecurity; and on the other, a impatient society that starts feeling the need to take justice into their own hands. Read more.
Submitted by Carla Link — Mon, 03/17/2014 – 17:18
Many of us think of urban graffiti as a nuisance, as an illegality, as a challenge to authority. Exactly, especially the last one. And it is also a form a communication, sometimes the only form available to people who aren’t so well represented in the media. Alex Alonso wrote an interesting piece on urban graffiti and its typologies, and discussed how graffiti can provide insight into societal attitudes and perceptions. Graffiti includes political commentary, personal or ‘existential’ messages, gang-related territorial demarcation, simple ‘tags’, elegant ‘piecing’ where tags or names are elaborate, and larger works that, more obviously like art, that combine comment with an clear aesthetic. Read more.
Submitted by David Maddox — Mon, 12/16/2013 – 15:25
As manifestações promovidas pelos brasileiros no mês de Junho repercutiram em todo o mundo. “Acordamos” diziam os cartazes. Com o desejo de ter maior participação nas decisões de políticas públicas e contra algumas medidas realizadas no âmbito municipal, estadual e nacional, os jovens mostraram sua indignação com o poder público brasileiro. Leia mais.
The Brazilian protests in June were broadcast worldwide. “We have awoken” was written on posters. In search of a stronger voice on the decisions of public policies and against some measures taken by the government (city, state and federal), the youth showed their resentment. Read more.
Submitted by Editor — Tue, 09/17/2013 – 00:00
We don’t seem to live in an age of reading. But we do live in an age of communication. Ideas, images, manifestos, advertisements, loud TV, tweets and all manner of media bombard us all on a minute-to-minute basis. Put that together with one thing we know from evolving educational theory: each person learns and perceives messages a little differently, and diverse modes of delivering the same information are more likely to reach a wider range of people. What we really want is to get our messages out, to inform, to educate, to create dialog — with whatever media reach people. And this probably means delivering messages and ideas in diverse media: Tweets at 140 characters; Facebook at a few sentences; essays and blogs, books, radio, exhibits, and so on. Read more.
Submitted by David Maddox — Mon, 09/09/2013 – 13:04
Researchers and urbanists from leading Western institutions have proposed interventions — both large and small — for “righting” India’s megacities. In Mumbai, however, city planners have looked east for models, with the notion that cities with similar issues can provide more appropriate solutions. The idea of “Shanghai-ing” Mumbai has been one of the most talked-about examples, but more effort is being made all over the country to exchange across more local borders. Read more or join the discussion.
Submitted by Carlin Carr — Mon, 09/09/2013 – 00:00
The Kenyan federation of slum dwellers, Muungano wa Wanavijiji has succeeded in firmly establishing itself as an force to be reckoned with on the national arena. As their domestic influence grows, they have also begun to focus on strengthening ties with similar groups in the region and beyond. Read more or join the discussion.
Submitted by Katy Fentress — Mon, 09/09/2013 – 00:00
One of Mumbai’s best-known architects, PK Das, has used his profession as an instrument for social change. Arriving in the city in 1972 to study architecture, he soon thereafter got involved in movements for slum dwellers and against corruption. Forty years later, Das continues to experiment with the intersection of his craft and his conscience. Mumbai, he says, is his workshop for it all. “It’s where I shape and reshape ideas. This city allows that kind of exchange,” says Das. “What I argue is that planning and architecture are fabulous democratic instruments for social change.” Read more or join the discussion.
Submitted by Carlin Carr — Mon, 07/22/2013 – 00:00
Anyone comparing countries can quickly conclude there isn’t a direct fixed relationship between economic growth and quality public services. Per capita income can be terrible while total national income is high. Economic growth can be high yet maintain widespread inequality. This is not a sustainable way to run a country, yet this is how things are and have always been done in Brazil, the last country in the Americas to abolish slavery and today the world’s 7th largest economy where 21% of the population is still under the poverty line. Brazil today is 106th in GDP per capita. We also rank among the worst in inequality, at number 17, although this is a significant improvement over the 1st place position we occupied two decades ago. Read more.
Submitted by Catalytic Communities — Thu, 06/20/2013 – 11:08
The term Private Public Partnerships (PPP) in India is a dirty one. While partnerships present an opportunity for stakeholder collaboration that generate value by pooling of complementary expertise and resources, the practice in India has meant subcontracting of tasks and strategy by public sector to the private sector with little accountability or responsibilities on outcomes. The only driver of the partnership has been project finance and profits. This has been especially true in housing or slum redevelopment schemes from Dharavi in Mumbai to Katputali colony in Delhi driven by PPPs between city governments and large private developers. Maximizing the value of land while delivering maximum number of low-income housing are contradictory and misleading national policy objectives with fatal social outcomes. Read more.
Submitted by Rakhi Mehra — Fri, 04/05/2013 – 04:51 