Urban communities / city life Books

Book SynopsisBuilding resilience,the ability to bounce back more quickly and effectively,is an urgent social and economic issue. Our interconnected world is susceptible to sudden and dramatic shocks and stresses: a cyber-attack, a new strain of virus, a structural failure, a violent storm, a civil disturbance, an economic blow. Through an astonishing range of stories, Judith Rodin shows how people, organizations, businesses, communities, and cities have developed resilience in the face of otherwise catastrophic challenges: Medellin, Colombia, was once the drug and murder capital of South America. Now it's host to international conferences and an emerging vacation destination. Tulsa, Oklahoma, cracked the code of rapid urban development in a floodplain. Airbnb, Toyota, Ikea, Coca-Cola, and other companies have realized the value of reducing vulnerabilities and potential threats to customers, employees, and their bottom line. In the Mau Forest of Kenya, bottom-up solutions are critical for dealing with climate change, environmental degradation, and displacement of locals. Following Superstorm Sandy, the Rockaway Surf Club in New York played a vital role in distributing emergency supplies. As we grow more adept at managing disruption and more skilled at resilience-building, Rodin reveals how we are able to create and take advantage of new economic and social opportunities that offer us the capacity to recover after catastrophes and grow strong in times of relative calm.Trade Review"You have to read only one book: The Resilience Dividend by Judith Rodin...The book provides a tour de force of why and how resilience matters in different countries, industries and settings...Rodin's book will prove to be essential reading to leaders across sectors that are addressing the complexity of challenges facing humanity...The Resilience Dividend should be compulsory reading in the social investment community." --Alliance Magazine "An inspiring book about preparing for major disruptions...Using an astonishing array of real-life situations, Rodin illustrates how individuals, organizations, businesses and communities can develop resilience after suffering catastrophic challenges."--The Missourian "An inspiring and optimistic look at what humankind can do to respond to what appear insurmountable challenges"--Library Journal "Rockefeller Foundation president Rodin writes in an expert and straightforward manner about the character trait of resilience, addressed here in socioeconomic terms and on nothing less than a global scale... While every author may hope to end a book with an indelible sentence, Rodin proves herself one of the select few who can pull this off." --Publishers Weekly "Humanity has long celebrated those able to avoid, overcome or bounce back from adversity. And, in an increasingly interdependent and volatile world, resilience has never been more valuable--or seemed in shorter supply. Indeed, as we strive to make progress in our communities, organizations and families, we must seek to understand and build resilience. With her new book, The Resilience Dividend, Judith Rodin provides valuable insights into the growing importance and transformative potential of resilience. Highly recommended for all those seeking to create lasting positive change in the world."-- Muhtar Kent, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, The Coca-Cola Company "The Resilience Dividend delivers powerful proof that building resilience helps individuals, communities and cities better recover from disasters and disruptions. Judith Rodin details connections between human, environmental and economic systems, and offers a strategy to proactively address the threats they face. This very important book will help tackle complex challenges today and well into the future."--Mark R. Tercek, President and CEO, The Nature Conservancy and author of Nature's Fortune: How Business and Nature Thrive by Investing in Nature "This book makes a compelling case, drawing on stories from countries and communities across the world, that resilience is not just a defense mechanism but a positive gain or dividend, with added value in economic and social terms. The message is timely, given the increasingly disruptive force of climate change and the need to encourage communities to respond positively. It is also a highly readable account because it relies on actual human experience."--Mary Robinson, President Mary Robinson Foundation-Climate Justice, UN Special Envoy on Climate Change "From climate change, to economic adjustment, to the breakdown in political governance,the scale and complexity of threats and challenges in today's interconnected world are immense. This timely and insightful book by Judith Rodin, president of The Rockefeller Foundation, reminds us that we urgently need to build greater resilience to enable individuals, businesses, and communities to prepare for both systemic disruptions and new opportunities in the world order."--Kofi A. Annan, former Secretary-General of the United Nations (1997--2006) and chairman of the Kofi Annan Foundation "In a world where disruption is a fact of life and uncertainty is guaranteed, Judith Rodin draws on years of experience to offer an inspiring look at how we can prepare for the unexpected-and by doing so makes our communities stronger, more prosperous and more connected in the process."-- President Bill Clinton "Judith Rodin's groundbreaking work at the Rockefeller Foundation is helping cities adapt to a changing climate--and a changing world. In her new book, The Resilience Dividend, she lays out a powerful case for why governments and companies should prepare for-and not just react to--disruptions to business as usual."--Michael R. Bloomberg, Founder of Bloomberg LP & Bloomberg Philanthropies, and 108th Mayor of New York City "She is a good story teller, and her stories from the United States and around the world form the heart of the book... Crisis planners will find useful material in 'The Resilience Dividend,' not just a "template for thinking" about crisis management but also, as Ms. Rodin puts it, the 'methods for putting that thinking into practice.' The rest of us will take heart that, in a world of disruption, there are ways to cope with crisis and even, perhaps, grow stronger as a result."--Wall Street Journal "A revealing examination of the anatomy of resilience...[Rodin] clearly shows what went right and what went wrong and what can be learned from past experiences. A convincing argument that becoming resilient is not only possible, but essential; food for thought for all and especially recommended for community leaders." --Kirkus Reviews, starred review "Rodin...takes an insightful look at what is known as the resilience dividend, opportunities that come out of disasters and make for progress whether or not another occurs." --Booklist "Her book's central argument offers resilience as a reason to adopt policies that allow for mass-scale preparation in the face of certain but unknowable future disasters. And though the book discusses resilience primarily in context of disasters such as devastating storms, Rodin's concept also sees dividends when applied to crises that stem from social stratification and unrest." --The Atlantic's CityLab "Judith Rodin is a world-class entrepreneurial philanthropist. In The Resilience Dividend, she brings her life's work to bear on the subject, drawing on her deep and personal experiences from around the world. She uses every tool available (including the world's most advanced technologies) to understand the urban terrain and to deploy real-world solutions. All with the goal of saving and improving human lives." --Dr. Alex Karp, cofounder and CEO, Palantir "Dr. Rodin's extraordinary leadership has helped introduce the world to the concept of resilience--the critical strategy for breaking the endless cycle of emergency response and relief for millions of people. From supporting our nation's recovery in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy to helping megacities in Asia protect their most vulnerable citizens, Dr. Rodin has made resilience a global priority at home and abroad. Rigorously analytical and powerfully argued, Dr. Rodin's book challenges us to work smarter and more collaboratively to predict disasters before they strike and enable citizens to build stronger communities and thriving economies."--Dr. Rajiv Shah, administrator of USAID "Ms. Rodin, currently president of the Rockefeller Foundation in New York, is especially suited to analyze these disruptive threats and to propose recommendations to upgrade resiliency to redress them... 'The Resilience Dividend' is a must-read for all those concerned about proactively building a tough and rebounding capacity, 'without waiting for disaster to push us into it." --Washington Times "A fresh take on the many ways that organizations can recover and grow from unexpected setbacks... It's intriguing that the author of The Resilience Dividend is the head of a leading philanthropy. In the early 1990s, Peter Drucker made a strong argument that neither government nor the private sector could build the sense of community needed to meet the challenges of what he labeled the Knowledge Society. He thought the 'social sector' was our last, best hope for that. Judith Rodin's thoughtful, organic approach to enhancing the resilience of social groups suggests that Drucker's faith in NGOs might not have been misplaced."--Strategy + Business "Rodin writes in an easy style. Drawing on a number of inspiring stories...she shows how resilience can be achieved through 'readiness, responsiveness and revitalization.' Upbeat and optimistic, this is not a book for cynics. Rodin marshals a strong case that the resilience dividend is 'real and achievable,' and if followed it can make a difference in the lives of millions of people the next time disaster strikes." --Maclean's "Positive, pragmatic, and powerful, Judith Rodin's The Resilience Dividend is precisely the innovative thinking we need. By focusing on the ways individuals, businesses, and communities can build a foundation for resilience, Rodin gives us a blueprint for a future where we are stronger, more adaptable, and better equipped to meet the world's greatest challenges."-- Arianna Huffington, president and editor-in-chief, The Huffington Post Media Group "Embracing and driving change is key to adapting to our customers' needs and is a big part of what enables us to deliver great service. Every company must adapt and change in order to grow and succeed. The Resilience Dividend makes a powerful case for doing business differently in a dynamic and disruptive world." --Tony Hsieh, NY Times best-selling author of Delivering Happiness and CEO of Zappos.com, Inc.

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn The Human City, internationally recognized urbanist Joel Kotkin challenges the conventional urban-planning wisdom that favors high-density, "pack-and-stack" strategies. By exploring the economic, social, and environmental benefits of decentralized, family-friendly alternatives, Kotkin concludes that while the word "suburbs" may be outdated, the concept is certainly not dead. Aside from those wealthy enough to own spacious urban homes, people forced into high-density development must accept crowded living conditions and limited privacy, thus degrading their quality of life. Dispersion, Kotkin argues, provides a chance to build a more sustainable, "human-scale" urban environment. After pondering the purpose of a city--and the social, political, economic, and aesthetic characteristics that are associated with urban living--Kotkin explores the problematic realities of today's megacities and the importance of families, neighborhoods, and local communities, arguing that these considerations must guide the way we shape our urban landscapes. He then makes the case for dispersion and explores communities (dynamic small cities, redeveloped urban neighborhoods, and more) that are already providing viable, decentralized alternatives to ultra-dense urban cores. The Human City lays out a vision of urbanism that is both family friendly and flexible. It describes a future where people, aided by technology, are freed from the constraints of small spaces and impossibly high real estate prices. While Kotkin does not call for low-density development per se, he does advocate for a greater range of options for people to live the way they want at various stages of their lives. We are building cities without thinking about the people who live in them, argues The Human City. It's time to change our approach to one that is centered on human values.Trade ReviewPraise for Joel Kotkin's The Human City: Urbanism for the Rest of Us "[Kotkin] weaves an impressive array of original observations about cities into his arguments, enriching our understanding of what cities are about and what they can and must become." --Shlomo Angel, Wall Street Journal "Kotkin argues that suburbs are where middle-class families want to live... A city hostile to the middle class is, in Kotkin's view, a sea hostile to fish." --Alexander Nazaryan, Newsweek "[The] kinds of places that are getting it right ... we might call Joel Kotkin cities, after the writer who champions them. These are opportunity cities ... [that] are less regulated, so it's easier to start a business. They are sprawling with easy, hodgepodge housing construction, so the cost of living is low... We should be having a debate between the Kotkin model and the [Richard] Florida model, between two successful ways to create posterity." --David Brooks, New York Times "Kotkin's premise focus[es] on the predictions made by some economists who believe suburbs are going to wither as more Americans return to the cities. He [says] those have been hasty reactions to the 2008 economic recession, and that humans' desire for spacious living remains strong. " --Ronnie Wachter, Chicago Tribune "The Human City ... takes a wider and longer view. Kotkin shows how cities developed as religious, imperial, commercial, and industrial centers... To his subject Kotkin brings a useful worldwide perspective." --Michael Barone, Washington Examiner "[Kotkin] believes it's time to start rethinking what suburbia can be and to become more strategic about how it evolves." --Randy Rieland, Smithsonian.com "Kotkin recommends that we embrace a kind of 'urban pluralism'... That means a sustained effort to make the city livable, yes, but it also entails acceptance of the suburbs... The reality of suburban life isn't as grim as the naysayers suggest, and Kotkin rattles off a long list of statistics to prove it." --Blake Seitz, Washington Free Beacon "[Kotkin] writes that the suburbs are alive and well--and are positioned for strong opportunity." --Michael Stevens, Crain's Chicago Business "Whether you're a downtown dweller or suburbanite, renter or owner, there is plenty of urban food for thought in The Human City." --Deborah Bowers, Winnipeg Free Press "A long and lucid argument against ... the current orthodoxy--that high-density living in the core, rather than suburban sprawl, is the optimal design for the modern urbanopolis." --Pat Kane, New Scientist "[The Human City] is a prolonged argument for development that responds to what people want and need during the course of their lives ... [It] is not meant as an anti-urbanist tract, but rather as a redefinition of urbanism to fit modern realities and the needs of families... It's hard to argue with that point." --David R. Godschalk, Urban Land Magazine "The notion that people are dying to leave the suburbs is just not true... Kotkin [says] most of the job growth and affordable housing are in the suburbs." --Kim Mikus, Daily Herald Advance praise for Joel Kotkin's The Human City: Urbanism for the Rest of Us "The most eloquent expression of urbanism since Jane Jacobs's The Death and Life of Great American Cities. Kotkin writes with a strong sense of place; he recognizes that the geography and traditions of a city create the contours of its urbanity." --Fred Siegel, scholar in residence at St. Francis College, senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research "Kotkin is a refreshingly poetic and compelling writer on policy; he weaves data, history, theory, and his own probing analysis into a clear and soulful treatise on the way we ought to live now." --Ted C. Fishman, author of China, Inc. and Shock of Gray "Kotkin is one of the clearest urban writers and thinkers of our time. His first-hand experiences and insights on a broad array of issues such as inequity, infertility, lifestyle, and urban design shake the reader like a jolt of urban caffeine." --Alan M. Berger, codirector of the Center for Advanced Urbanism at MIT, founding director of P-REX Lab "While advocates trumpet megacities and global urbanization, Joel Kotkin makes an informed case for urban dispersal and argues that bigger and denser are not necessarily better." --Witold Rybczynski, author of Mysteries of the Mall "This book asks the crucially important question, 'What is a city for?' It should be read by all urban planners and included on the reading list for any urban planning course in a university." --Chan Heng Chee, chairman, Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities, Singapore University of Technology and Design Praise for Joel Kotkin's The Next Hundred Million: America in 2050: "Given the viral finger-pointing and hand-wringing over what's seen as America's decline these days, Mr. Kotkin's book provides a timely and welcome... antidote." --Sam Roberts, New York Times "Kotkin... offers a well-researched--and very sunny--forecast for the American economy... His confidence is well-supported and is a reassuring balm amid the political and economic turmoil of the moment." --Publishers Weekly "A fascinating glimpse into a crystal ball, rich in implications that are alternately disturbing and exhilarating." --Kirkus Reviews "Kotkin provides a well-argued, well-researched and refreshingly calm perspective." -- Joe Friesen, The Globe and Mail "Lamenting its own decline has long been an American weakness... Those given to such declinism may derive a little comfort from Joel Kotkin's latest book." --The Economist "Kotkin has a striking ability to envision how global forces will shape daily family life, and his conclusions can be thought-provoking as well as counterintuitive." --WBUR-FM, Boston's NPR News Station Praise for Joel Kotkin's The New Class Conflict: "Kotkin is to be commended for seeing past the daily bric-a-brac of American politics to perceive the newly emerging class divisions." -- Jay Cost, The Washington Free Beacon "... Paints a dire picture of the undeclared war on the middle class." -- Kyle Smith, New York Post "... In having the courage to junk the old nostrums, [Kotkin] has taken an important step forward." --Financial Times "This original and provocative book should stimulate fresh thinking--and produce vigorous dissent." --Foreign Affairs Praise for Joel Kotkin's The City: A Global History: "... This fast read succeeds most with Kotkin as storyteller, flying through time and around the world to weave so many disparate histories into one urban tapestry." --The Fifth Annual Planetizen Top 10 Books List, 2006 Edition "... Offers fascinating insight into the ideologies that have created different city designs, and into the natural human desire to gather together to live and for commerce." --Steve Greenhut,The Orange County Register "The book is taut, elegant, informative and lots of fun to read. When I got to the end, I wished it had been longer." --Alan Ehrenhalt,Governing Magazine

Read more less

Book SynopsisBelow Scotland's capital, hidden for almost two centuries, is a metropolis whose very existence was all but forgotten. For almost 250 years, Edinburgh was surrounded by a giant defensive wall. Unable to expand the city's boundaries, the burgeoning population built over every inch of square space. And when there was no more room, they began to dig down . . . Trapped in lives of poverty and crime, these subterranean dwellers existed in darkness and misery, ignored by the chroniclers of their time. It is only in the last few years that the shocking truth has begun to emerge about the sinister underground city.

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn what ways are cities central to the evolution of contemporary global capitalism? And in what ways is global capitalism forged by the urban experience? This book provides a response to these questions, exploring the multifaceted dimensions of the city-capitalism nexus.Trade Review"Ugo Rossi offers a highly original analysis of the current urban condition. The book plays imaginatively on the complex relationships linking cities, neoliberal capitalism and globalization and extracts from these materials a remarkably informative and incisive diagnosis." - Allen J. Scott, UCLA "In this historically grounded, highly current and well-argued volume, Rossi combines critical reviews of diverse theoretical currents and empirical analyses to highlight recent trends, crises and struggles in and beyond the capitalist heartlands. He explores the growing links between neoliberalism and globalization, making cities ever more critical as sites of everyday resistance as well as crucial spaces of accumulation. Enjoy reading this book and acting upon it." - Bob Jessop, Lancaster University "Rossi provides a remarkably comprehensive, clear, and tremendously useful survey of theorizations of the relation between cities and capitalism. As he does so, he offers the reader a rich exploration of the many facets of that complex and mutually constitutive relation." - Miranda Joseph, The University of Arizona "Reading contemporary global capital from the perspective of the city, Ugo Rossi's Cities in Global Capitalism presents a critical geography, rich in analysis and haunted with spectral figures. Rossi shows how the city - the site of historical struggle, artistic and social innovations, and revolutionary uprisings - has been shaped by capital and its state partners with new spatial inequalities, potentialities, and peripheries. As the city once again becomes the destination for the global rich, economic innovation becomes a leading edge of gentrification and the abandoned warehouses of Fordist production become the ghost towers haunting the urban sky - vast areas the mega rich own but rarely inhabit as the ever-expanding homeless below pass by." - Elizabeth A. Povinelli, Columbia University "Cities in Global Capitalism presents an impressive tour de force on the mutually reinforcing relationship between cities, on the one hand, and the capitalist system on the other. Sifting through a wide range of work from across numerous disciplines, Ugo Rossi's account of the contemporary global urban condition is conceptually sophisticated, geographically nuanced and historically sensitive!" - Kevin Ward, University of Manchester "Ugo Rossi's book is a clear and illuminating overview of the complex relationships between globalized capitalism and urban spaces. A valuable contribution to the project of critically reflecting on our contemporary condition." - Nick Srnicek, author of Platform Capitalism and Inventing the Future: Postcapitalism and a World Without Work"The Introduction alone is worth the price of admission. It provides an original, up-to-the-minute […], creative framework and overview of cities in global capitalism that is rare. Others in the field of urban studies provide narrower depictions, specific in-depth explanations. But Rossi gives you the whole show; tries to explain it all. It takes chutzpah. […] As a project, Rossi's is ambitious and sweeping, but it is never out of control, the arguments always systematic and tightly drawn." - Trevor J. Barnes, Papers in Regional ScienceTable of ContentsIntroduction 1. Emergences 2. Extensions 3. Continuities 4. Diffusions 5. Variations Conclusion: Living in the age of ambivalence

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhat is the role of the neighbourhood in our understanding of community and how has this role changed over the last century? Talja Blokland seeks to answer this question in this careful ethnographic study of the changing nature of social relationships and urban communities.Trade Review"This is a book of major intellectual significance. Talja Blokland succeeds in casting her case study around broader theoretical concerns that will have relevance for urban sociologists everywhere." Mike Savage, University of Manchester "Talja Blokland has written an engaging, thoughtful and often provocative analysis of changing social life in an inner city neighbourhood." Charles Tilly, Columbia University "This is a superb empirically grounded study of social relations, exploring important theoretical issues about space, identity and community in the context of wonderful and compelling ethnography." Richard Jenkins, University of SheffieldTable of ContentsPreface. 1. Disintegration And The ‘Demise Of Community’. 2. Hillesluis As A Natural Area? Social Ecology And Neighbourhood Use. 3. Personal Networks As Communities. 4. Social Identification And A Grid Of Social Relations. 5. Familiarity And Transactions: Privatization I. 6. Institutions And Attachments: Privatization II. 7. Contemporary Communities And The Importance Of Location. 8. Ethnicity As A Dividing Field. 9. The Neighbourhood In The Imperfect Past. 10. Urban Bonds: Conclusions. Annex: Research Approach. Notes. References. Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisMarcia M. Gallo provides a sensitive and multifaceted exploration of one of America's most infamous true-crime stories: the 1964 rape and murder of Catherine "Kitty" Genovese.Trade ReviewGallo [is] successful in her quest to restore Genovese's 'personhood.' In a chapter evocatively titled 'Hidden in Plain Sight,' Gallo does a wonderful job placing Genovese within the context of her times as a vibrant, successful, homosexual woman. Gallo’s interviews with Genovese’s lover, Mary Ann Zielonko, and some of Genovese’s friends add poignant and touching details to a life cut tragically short. -- Mariah Adin * H-Net Reviews *After reading Gallo's solidly researched book, readers can no longer simply accept the standard narrative about Kitty Genovese's murder and the claims of urban apathy.... She asks us to think more broadly about the ways in which historical narratives build up around important events and sometimes cloud our view of the past.... With this book, Gallo has at least brought the real Kitty Genovese back to life. * Italian American Review *Gallo's insightful and important book about the Genovese murder is both a provocative history of the ways apathy continues to challenge our popular memory of social activism and an engaging history of the postwar years that highlights the intersection of a range of social issues and political problems. It deserves a wide audience. -- Randy D. McBee * Journal of American History *Several books and numerous articles have marked the 50th anniversary of the infamous murder of Kitty Genovese on the night of March 13, 1964 in the borough of Queens in New York City. Marcia M. Gallo offers a valuable addition to this literature in a well-written, intelligent, comprehensive, and provocative new account of the often-told story. I believe it will be of interest to a broad range of readers, including social psychologists, other social scientists, and to lay and professional readers interested in any of the many questions raised by the case for policy making, journalism, social planning, and more. -- Robert Levine * PsycCRITIQUES *Table of ContentsPrologue: A New York Story1. Urban Villages in the Big City2. Hidden in Plain Sight3. Thirty-Eight Witnesses4. The Metropolitan Brand of Apathy5. The City Responds6. Surviving New City Streets7. Challenging the Story of Urban ApathyEpilogue: Kitty, Fifty Years LaterNotes Selected Bibliography Index

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade Review"Winner of the Max Weber Book Award, Organizations, Occupations, and Work Section of the American Sociological Association""Longlisted for the 2018 Spirited Awards Best New Book on Drinks, Culture, History, or Spirits, Tales of the Cocktail"

Read more less

Book SynopsisAn exceptional photographic report of Abandoned Italy. Robin Brinaert has been travelling around Italy for over eight years in search of these abandoned, forbidden places. He highlights the sometimes dramatic fate of our heritage — a serious reflection on safeguarding. Inside Abandoned Italy : Discover the former hunting lodge of the Duchess of Parma, a spectacular abandoned Moorish castle, the remains of film studios with the scenery from a Pinocchio film, a disused psychiatric asylum, a famous but now-forgotten discotheque in a mock medieval castle, the ruins of a renowned spa hotel ravaged by fire ... This series of photo gallery books, allows one to discover our abandoned, endangered and very often forgotten heritage. Each photograph is accompanied by the history of each place, so that the reader can travel through time and learn the story behind each forgotten place.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA cutting-edge, solutions-oriented analysis of how we can reimagine cities around the world to build sustainable futures. What would it take to make urban places greener, more affordable, more equitable, and healthier for everyone? In recent years, cities have stepped up efforts to address climate and sustainability crises. But progress has not been fast enough or gone deep enough. If communities are to thrive in the future, we need to quickly imagine and implement an entirely new approach to urban development: one that is centered on equity and rethinks social, political, and economic systems as well as urban designs. With attention to this need for structural change, Reimagining Sustainable Cities advocates for a community-informed model of racially, economically, and socially just cities and regions. The book aims to rethink urban sustainability for a new era. In Reimagining Sustainable Cities, Stephen M. Wheeler and Christina D. Rosan ask big-picture questions of interest to readers worldwide: How do we get to carbon neutrality? How do we adapt to a climate-changed world? How can we create affordable, inclusive, and equitable cities? While many books dwell on the analysis of problems, Reimagining Sustainable Cities prioritizes solutions-oriented thinkingsurveying historical trends, providing examples of constructive action worldwide, and outlining alternative problem-solving strategies. Wheeler and Rosan use a social ecology lens and draw perspectives from multiple disciplines. Positive, readable, and constructive in tone, Reimagining Sustainable Cities identifies actions ranging from urban design to institutional restructuring that can bring about fundamental change and prepare us for the challenges ahead. Trade Review"Half a century on, drastic change is still needed, warn urban ecologists Stephen Wheeler and Christina Rosen in their enlightening survey of today’s cities." * Nature *"This book is an ideal companion to a wide range of readers wishing to think again about sustainable cities and stimulate change across urban areas. The narrative of positivity and optimism laid out in the context of achieving sustainability makes this book a refreshing and welcome addition to a mounting body of literature dedicated to sustainable urban action." * Buildings & Cities *"This book is a compendium of the many changes that will be necessary to make a sustainable and equitable future possible." * Journal of Urban Affairs *"A much needed, holistically integrative, overview of sustainability strategies for designing greener, more just, resilient, adaptable and climate friendly communities." * Urban Studies Online *Table of ContentsList of Illustrations Introduction 1. How Do We Get to Climate Neutrality? 2. How Do We Adapt to the Climate Crisis? 3. How Might We Create More Sustainable Economies? 4. How Can We Make Affordable, Inclusive, and Equitable Cities? 5. How Can We Reduce Spatial Inequality? 6. How Can We Get Where We Need to Go More Sustainably? 7. How Do We Manage Land More Sustainably? 8. How Do We Design Greener Cities? 9. How Do We Reduce Our Ecological Footprints? 10. How Can Cities Better Support Human Development? 11. How Might We Have More Functional Democracy? 12. How Can Each of Us Help Lead the Move toward Sustainable Communities? Conclusion Acknowledgments Notes Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisNearly every US city would like to be more walkable—for reasons of health, wealth, and the environment—yet few are taking the proper steps to get there. The goals are often clear, but the path is seldom easy. Jeff Speck’s follow up to his bestselling Walkable City is the resource that cities and citizens need to usher in an era of renewed street life. Walkable City Rules is a doer’s guide to making change in cities, and making it now. The 101 rules are practical yet engaging—worded for arguments at the planning commission, illustrated for clarity, and packed with specifications as well as data. For ease of use, the rules are grouped into 19 chapters that cover everything from selling walkability, to getting the parking right, escaping automobilism, making comfortable spaces and interesting places, and doing it now! Walkable City was written to inspire; Walkable City Rules was written to enable. It is the most comprehensive tool available for bringing the latest and most effective city-planning practices to bear in your community. The content and presentation make it a force multiplier for place-makers and change-makers everywhere.Table of ContentsTable of Contents Introduction: Making Change Now Sell Walkability Mix the Uses Make Housing Attainable Escape Automobilism Get the Parking Right Let Transit Work Start with Safety Optimize Your Driving Network Right-Size the Number of Lanes Right-Size the Lanes Invite Biking Park On-Street Don’t Forget Geometry Fix Your Signals and Signs Make Great Sidewalks Make Comfortable Spaces Make Sticky Edges Do It Now

Read more less

Book SynopsisA National Endowment for Democracy Notable Book of 2022 Protest has been a key method of political claim-making in Jordan from the late Ottoman period to the present day. More than moments of rupture within normal-time politics, protests have been central to challenging state power, as well as reproducing it—and the spatial dynamics of protests play a central role in the construction of both state and society. With this book, Jillian Schwedler considers how space and geography influence protests and repression, and, in challenging conventional narratives of Hashemite state-making, offers the first in-depth study of rebellion in Jordan. Based on twenty-five years of field research, Protesting Jordan examines protests as they are situated in the built environment, bringing together considerations of networks, spatial imaginaries, space and place-making, and political geographies at local, national, regional, and global scales. Schwedler considers the impact of time and temporality in the lifecycles of individual movements. Through a mixed interpretive methodology, this book illuminates the geographies of power and dissent and the spatial practices of protest and repression, highlighting the political stakes of competing narratives about Jordan's past, present, and future.Trade Review"Protesting Jordan offers readers of Arab politics and contentious politics alike a narrative of how protest shapes how states reproduce their power and, in turn, reshape protest. Jillian Schwedler blends a deep immersion in the Middle East with a firm grasp of contentious politics theory in this thought-provoking book."—Sidney Tarrow, Cornell University"Superbly researched, Protesting Jordan provides a fascinating and groundbreaking alternative history of Jordan. Jillian Schwedler skillfully unpacks and challenges traditional accounts of state-making in Jordan as a top-down process. An essential read for those seeking to better understand Jordan's history and how protests maintain state power."—Janine Clark, University of Toronto"Schwedler has crafted an extraordinarily rich portrait of the creation of Jordan and the fortunes of the Hashemite monarchy through the lens of those who contested its policies, its institutions, and sometimes even its very existence. In doing so, she demonstrates that protest has been a routine part of politics in Jordan since before the modern state was established."—Lisa Anderson, Foreign Affairs"It's not just the best book I've read about Jordan... but also one of the very best political science books I've read this year... Protesting Jordan should be a must read for scholars of the Middle East and of comparative politics more broadly, as well as for analysts, journalists and policymakers trying to understand the country's politics."—Marc Lynch, Abu Aardvark"[Protesting Jordan] gives a detailed and rich account of Jordan's social and political history, showing how repertoires of protest and repression created, transformed, and continue to afect state and society in Jordan. But the book is also written in a way that makes it essential reading for any scholar interested in protests, repression, and state development – not just in Jordan, but indeed anywhere else."—Curtis R. Ryan, APSA MENA Newsletter"Protesting Jordan is an important contribution to the study of protest. It is a cry and demand not only for scholars to carry on the critical work of studying popular struggle to illuminate its social significance but to forge novel approaches to understand the state, its political economy and urban form."—Deen Sharp, APSA MENA Newsletter"Schwedler's work pushes us to think about the effects of social movements above and beyond narrow conceptions of success or failure; the book traces and convincingly demonstrates the myriad ways that regimes learn from protest activity and deploy repressive state power through the construction (or lack thereof) of cities and communities."—Summer Forester, APSA MENA Newsletter"Protesting Jordan is a wonderful read and an ambitious model for writing contentious politics into political history. ... Schwedler is one of our field's great ethnographic writers, and her keen eye for meaningful details and almost-imperceptible shifts in power relations rendered this routine set of protests into powerful grounds for theorizing about the everyday work of contention."—Chantal Berman, APSA MENA Newsletter"Schwedler's approach is consciously interpretive and inductive....[A]nyone interested in interested in the relationship between popular opposition and state formation in Jordan will find a wealth of new empirical material and fresh analysis here."—Laurie A. Brand, Middle East Journal"Schwedler's scholarship shows how and why in-depth local knowledges are important: certainly to better understand local contexts, but also in order to reflect on 'generalist' scholarship and 'broader' theoretical debates."—Andrea Teti, Mediterranean Politics"Throughout the work, Schwedler challenges readers to rethink the politics of modern protests by interrogating their meaning under Jordan's authoritarian power structure. Protests are not static attacks on normality; they are frequent and normal expressions of commonplace struggles. They enable Jordanians to assert claims and challenge their regime's rules, but they also elicit autocratic responses. Protests represent frontiers where state power is exerted and negotiated and where the state itself becomes seen."—Sean L. Yom, Middle East Research and Information ProjectTable of Contents1. The Shifting Political Stakes of Protest 2. Transforming Transjordan 3. Becoming Amman: From Periphery to Center 4. Jordanization, the Neoliberal State, and the Retreat and Return of Protest 5. An Ethnography of Place and the Politics of Routine Protests 6. Jordan in the Time of the Arab Uprisings 7. The Techniques and Evolving Spatial Dynamics of Protest and Repression 8. Protest and Order in Militarized Spaces 9. Protesting Global Aspirations

Read more less

Book SynopsisPopulations of cities have grown at unprecedented rate, consuming ever more land, placing severe strain on the environment and also on cash-strapped governments. Nature needs to be reintroduced to our cities. This book is focused on urban nature conservation, aspects that will resonate with advisors to local government, people interested in bringing back nature to our cities and anyone with a keen interest in nature. Our ecosystems are under threat and green infrastructure needs to be better managed so that there will be less fragmentation and habitat loss. All of us have to live more towards a sustainable urban nature environment. This book guides all of us how to address nature on our doorsteps. There are 214 photos, 6 tables and 25 illustrations on principles of urban nature conservation. The book informs how to participate and synchronise lifestyles to contribute to sustainable urban nature environments. Urban wetlands, watercourses, riparian zones, buffer zones, ecological corridors and functions are explained. The annexures in the book described owl boxes, bird feeders, earthworm bins and how to produce organic compost.What is important is that more and more people move to cities and city developments encroach upon nature areas. These encroachments can be managed to accommodate ecologically sensitive urban nature areas. These areas can be utilised in ways that it will benefit the environment people live in.

Read more less

Book SynopsisExamines how radical bookstores and similar spaces serve as launching pads for social movements How does social change happen? It requires an identified problem, an impassioned and committed group, a catalyst, and a plan. In this deeply researched consideration of seventy-seven stores and establishments, Kimberley Kinder argues that activists also need autonomous space for organizing, and that these spaces are made, not found. She explores the remarkably enduring presence of radical bookstores in America and how they provide infrastructure for organizing—gathering places, retail offerings that draw new people into what she calls “counterspaces.”Kinder focuses on brick-and-mortar venues where owners approach their businesses primarily as social movement tools. These may be bookstores, infoshops, libraries, knowledge cafes, community centers, publishing collectives, thrift stores, or art installations. They are run by activist-entrepreneurs who create centers for organizing and selling books to pay the rent. These spaces allow radical and contentious ideas to be explored and percolate through to actual social movements, and serve as crucibles for activists to challenge capitalism, imperialism, white privilege, patriarchy, and homophobia. They also exist within a central paradox: participating in the marketplace creates tensions, contradictions, and shortfalls. Activist retail does not end capitalism; collective ownership does not enable a retreat from civic requirements like zoning; and donations, no matter how generous, do not offset the enormous power of corporations and governments. In this timely and relevant book, Kinder presents a necessary, novel, and apt analysis of the role these retail spaces play in radical organizing, one that demonstrates how such durable hubs manage to persist, often for decades, between the spikes of public protest. Trade Review "Radical bookstores have finally received the full-length study they deserve. Focusing on contentious politics and constructive placemaking, Kimberley Kinder shows that these shops do much more than sell political literature. If you want to understand how movements use bricks, mortar, and books to build their own worlds and spread their ideas—even in the twenty-first century—you should read this book."—Joshua Clark Davis, University of Baltimore "The Radical Bookstore is a sorely needed corrective to the conventional story of retail bookselling. The focus on print-based movement spaces yields an absorbing narrative in which social justice-oriented bookstores emerge as critical sites for negotiating belonging, enacting care, and fostering equity. Kimberley Kinder shows us that another print culture, divested of the overwhelming demands of consumer capitalism, is indeed possible."—Ted Striphas, University of Colorado, Boulder "The work is well-written and enjoyable to read. The biggest strength in the book lies in how it contextualizes the radical bookstore counterspaces within a larger social context."—Social Forces "The scope of Kinder’s analysis is impressive, yet the author also leaves room for further engagement on a number of questions addressed throughout the text, in a way that is fruitful and generative. The book makes a number of interesting theoretical contributions, unthreading the ways in which the different radical spaces are built, run, and sustained through organising and solidarity networks."—Urban Studies Table of ContentsContentsAcknowledgmentsIntroduction: Building the Infrastructure of Dissent1. Constructing Places for Contentious Politics2. Creating Accessible and Autonomous Activist Enterprises3. Reinventing Activist Bookstores in a Corporate Digital Age4. Claiming Spaces and Resources in Gentrifying Cities5. Designing Landscapes that Shout, Entice, and Heal6. Governing Safe Spaces that Restructure Public Speech7. Nurturing Camaraderie in Filtered Third Places8. Supporting Public Protests from the WingsConclusion: Evaluating Constructivism in an Ephemeral WorldNotesBibliographyIndex

Read more less

Book SynopsisIt is time to disrupt current criminological discourses which still exclude the perspectives of black scholars. Through the lens of black art, Martin Glynn explores the relevance black artistic contributions have for understanding crime and justice. Through art forms including black crime fiction, black theatre and black music, this book brings much needed attention to marginalized perspectives within mainstream criminology. Refining academic and professional understandings of race, racialization and intersectional aspects of crime, this text provides a platform for the contributions to criminology which are currently rendered invisible.Table of ContentsReimagining a Black Art Infused Criminology The People Speak: The Importance of Black Arts Movements Shadow People: Black Crime Fiction as Counter-Narrative Staging the Truth: Black Theatre and the Politics of Black Criminality Beyond The Wire: The Racialization of Crime in Film and TV Strange Fruit: Black Music (Re)presenting the Race and Crime Of Mules and Men: Oral Storytelling and the Racialization of Crime Seeing the Story: Visual Art and the Racialization of Crime Speaking Data and Telling Stories Locating the Researcher: (Auto)-Ethnography, Race, and the Researcher Towards a Black Arts Infused Criminology

Read more less

Book SynopsisIstanbul is one of the largest and most dynamic metropolises on the European continent. In the context of processes of globalization and local urban planning projects urban space is continously contested. In this anthology forms, meanings and images of these urban spaces are discussed by architects, historians, and social scientists. Through interdisciplinary approaches of theory and case studies the book delivers a deep insight into the construction and constitution of public spaces and spheres in contemporary Istanbul.

Read more less

Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE 2022 WRITERS' TRUST BALSILLIE PRIZE FOR PUBLIC POLICYSHORTLISTED FOR THE 2022 DONNER BOOK PRIZEWINNER OF THE PATTIS FAMILY FOUNDATION GLOBAL CITIES BOOK AWARDIs the ‘smart city’ the utopia we’ve been waiting for?The promise of the so-called smart city has been at the forefront of urban planning and development since the early 2010s, and the tech industry that supplies smart city software and hardware is now worth hundreds of billions a year.But the ideas and approaches underpinning smart city tech raise tough and important questions about the future of urban communities, surveillance, automation, and public participation. The smart city era, moreover, belongs firmly in a longer historical narrative about cities — one defined by utopian ideologies, architectural visions, and technological fantasies.Smart streetlights, water and air quality tracking, autonomous vehicles: with examples from all over the world, including New York, Los Angeles, Boston, Portland, and Chicago, Dream States unpacks the world of smart city tech, but also situates this important shift in city-building into a broader story about why we still dream about perfect places. "John Lorinc’s incisive analysis in Dream States reminds us that the search for urban utopia is not new. Throughout the book, Lorinc underscores the fact that a gamut of urban innovations – from smart city megaprojects to e-government to pandemic preparedness tools – only provide promise when scrutinized together with the political, economic, social, and physical complexities of urban life." – Shauna Brail, University of Toronto"Dream States: Smart Cities, Technology, and the Pursuit of Urban Utopias takes us on a fascinating journey across world cities to show how technology has shaped them in the past and how smart city technology will reshape them in the future. This book is essential reading for policy makers, researchers, and practitioners interested in understanding the opportunities and challenges of smart city technology and what it means for city building." – Enid Slack, University of Toronto School of Cities"“Utopia may be the oldest grift in the city-building business, but Dream States shows that technology is a timeless tool for turning the most ordinary of urban dreams – clean air and water, safe streets, and decent homes – into reality. As digital dilettantes try to sell us on a software overhaul, John Lorinc provides us an indispensable and flawless guide to the must-haves and never-agains of the smart city.” – Anthony Townsend, Urbanist in Residence, Cornell Tech, author of Smart CitiesTrade Review"Lorinc unpacks both the hype and genuine promise in technology to make everything from the street lighting to water quality in cities better, with examples from Barcelona, New York, Los Angeles, and other cities." – Bloomberg Cities Network" Lorinc’s effort responds to a much-needed update on smart cities technology, combining a specific case study with a complete analysis of the arrays of technologies that constitute the panoply of technology that might make a city ‘smart’." – Giulia Belloni, Urban Studies"Dream States reminds us from the outset that cities have been homes to technological innovations since people started gathering together in settlements. The bright, shiny, emergent nature of digital technology sometimes leaves planners wringing their hands, uncertain how to proceed. But Lorinc’s historical grounding of smart city tech- nology in the context of construction technology, water and sewage networks, and electricity and communications systems is an important reminder that, whether analog or digital, planners have been dealing with infrastructure for hundreds of years." – Pamela Robinson, Journal of the American Planning Association

Read more less

Book SynopsisHow do cities use culture today? Building on the experience of New York as a "culture capital" Sharon Zukin shows how three notions of culture - as ethnicity, aesthetic, and marketing tool - are reshaping urban places and conflicts over revitalization. She rejects the idea that cities have either a singular urban culture or many different subcultures to argue that cultures are constantly negotiated in the city's central spaces - the streets, parks, shops, museums, and restaurants - which are the great public spaces of modernity. While cultural gentrification may contribute to making our cities both safer and more civilised places to live, it has its darker side. Beneath the perceptions of "civility" and "security" nurtured by cultural strategies, Zukin shows an aggressive private-sector bid for control of public space, a relentless drive for expansion by art museums and other non-profit cultural institutions, and an increasing redesign of the built environment for the purposes of social control. Tying these developments to a new "symbolic economy" based on tourism, media and entertainment, Zukin traces the connections between real estate development and popular expression, and between elite visions of the arts and more democratic representations. Going beyond the immigrants, artists, street peddlers, and security guards who are the key figures in the symbolic economy, Zukin asks: Who really occupies the central spaces of cities? And whose culture is imposed as public culture? Combining cultural critique, interviews, autobiography and ethnography, The Culture of Cities is a compelling account of the public spaces of modernity as they are transformed into new, more troubling landscapes.Trade Review"The Culture of Cities gives a tremendous boost to urban cultural analysis. Full of fresh details and original thought, it should significantly influence the whole discourse on cities and culture." Harvey Molotch, co-author of Urban Fortunes "Sharon Zukin has written a penetrating and nuanced portrait of the displacement of planning by marketing in our cities, of the ways in which they extend and increasingly depend on the spurious automations of culture that have become America's most important product. What makes her book especially rare, though, are her recordings of the ways these cultural superposition's reverberate in the life of the street, the negotiations and compromises forced on the real lives of people harried by this symbolic economy and its seemingly inexorable co-optation of the spaces of public life." Michael Sorkin "Urban culture is the new combat zone and Sharon Zukin is our most brilliant war correspondent, whose despatches include a bizarre visit to Disney University, a behind-the-scenes exposé of chic restaurants, and the ultimate New York shopping trip." Mike Davis, author of City of QuartzTable of ContentsPreface. 1. Whose Culture? Whose City?. 2. Learning From Disney World. 3. A Museum In The Bershires.with Philip Kasinitz. 4. High Culture and Wild Commerce in New York City. 5. Artists And Immigrants In New York City Restaurants with. 6. While The City Shops. 7. The Mystique Of Public Culture. References. Index.

Read more less

Book SynopsisJonathan Raban's Soft City is a compelling exploration of urban life: a classic in the literature of the city. First published in the 1970s, it is now more relevant to today’s overcrowded planet than ever.With an introduction by Iain Sinclair.In the city we can live deliberately: inventing and renewing ourselves, carving out journeys, creating private spaces. But in the city we are also afraid of being alone, clinging to the structures of daily life to ward off the chaos around us.How is it that the noisy, jostling, overwhelming metropolis leaves us at once so energized and so fragile? In Soft City, Jonathan Raban, one of our most acclaimed novelists and travel writers seeks to find out.'A psychological handbook for urban survival' – Sunday TelegraphTrade Review'A psychological handbook for urban survival' * Sunday Telegraph *'A brilliant hymn to urban disorientation and weirdness . . . Reading it on buses I felt I was looking into my fellow passengers' minds, which was creepy, and that I was offering them the means to loook into mine, which was terrifying' -- Peter Robins'A marvelous picture . . . Soft City shows how, in the midst of physical decay, a city can flourish by fulfilling an elemental need, the need to play out fantasies of self' * New York Times *'A tour de force' * Spectator *'Raban looks at London with the omnivorous, scandalised relish of Dickens and Mayhew and General Booth' * Sunday Times *'The self that confronts the city is chameleon and caddis-worn, changing colour, aggrandizing objects and districts; and it tries on masks, a range of personae through which different styles and attitudes can speak... Often, Soft City is Walden in reverse; Raban goes to the city to find himself' * Encounter *'His approach is impressionistic rather than quasi-scientific, but his impressions are sensitive and informed and worth any amount of meaningless statistics and academic jargon' * Washington Post *'Raban's is the picaresque novelists's eye' * London Magazine *'A highly intelligent enquiry' -- Waugh * New Statesman *'A perceptive and illuminating thesis which draws on acute observations of what makes the city tick, what makes it exciting, what frustrates and what inspires' * Architectural Design *'An absorbing book' * Observer *'His metropolis is not the rational, order-imposed "hard" city perceived by the logical mind of town planner or traffic engineer, cartographer or demographer. It is the more elusive but no less real city that oozes out from between the grid lines, smudges and smears the statistics with something messy, irrelevant but impossible to ignore' * Times *'Soft City is a must' * Time Out *

Read more less

Book SynopsisTwentieth anniversary edition of a landmark book that cataloged a vibrant but disappearing neighborhood in New York CityIn the two decades that preceded the original publication of Times Square Red, Times Square Blue, Forty-second Street, then the most infamous street in America, was being remade into a sanitized tourist haven. In the forced disappearance of porn theaters, peep shows, and street hustlers to make room for a Disney store, a children's theater, and large, neon-lit cafes, Samuel R. Delany saw a disappearance, not only of the old Times Square, but of the complex social relationships that developed there.Samuel R. Delany bore witness to the dismantling of the institutions that promoted points of contact between people of different classes and races in a public space, and in this hybrid text, argues for the necessity of public restrooms and tree-filled parks to a city''s physical and psychological landscape.This twentieth anniversary editionTrade ReviewRepublished in a 20th anniversary edition by NYU Press, Times Square Red is both a thoughtful remembrance and a serious study of Times Square’s infamous porn theaters and the gay hookup scene therein during their pre-AIDS 1970s-‘80s heyday. … alongside Times Square Red, Times Square Blue’s hand and blow jobs, there are both provocative arguments and charmingly observed tidbits of lore and history… a clear-headed and intimate view of a New York that is irretrievably gone. * Gothamist *[A] classic of queer history. -- Jordy Rosenberg * The New York Times *Remarkable. -- SalonIn a provocative and persuasively argued cri de coeur against New York City's gentrification and the redevelopment of Times Square in the name of 'family values and safety,' acclaimed science fiction writer Delany proves himself a dazzlingly eloquent and original social commentator. . . . This bracing and well-calibrated blend of journalism, personal history and cultural criticism will challenge readers of every persuasion. -- Publishers WeeklyMeasured but emotional, illuminating but challenging. -- The San Francisco ChronicleEssential. * The Nation *Reading this book reminds me, as few others in a lifetime of reading have done, just why it is that we so love our cities, what we value in them, and why the great ones become so. [Delany is] one of our finest social critics and one of our great writers. -- James Sallis * Rain Taxi *A landmark critique of gentrification. * The New Yorker *

Read more less

Book SynopsisPermaculture is more than just the latest buzzword; it offers positive solutions for many of the environmental and social challenges confronting us. And nowhere are those remedies more needed and desired than in our cities. The Permaculture City provides a new way of thinking about urban living, with practical examples for creating abundant food, energy security, close-knit communities, local and meaningful livelihoods, and sustainable policies in our cities and towns. The same nature-based approach that works so beautifully for growing food—connecting the pieces of the landscape together in harmonious ways—applies perfectly to many of our other needs. Toby Hemenway, one of the leading practitioners and teachers of permaculture design, illuminates a new way forward through examples of edge-pushing innovations, along with a deeply holistic conceptual framework for our cities, towns, and suburbs. The Permaculture City begins in the garden but takes what we have learned there and applies it to a much broader range of human experience; we’re not just gardening plants but people, neighborhoods, and even cultures. Hemenway lays out how permaculture design can help towndwellers solve the challenges of meeting our needs for food, water, shelter, energy, community, and livelihood in sustainable, resilient ways. Readers will find new information on designing the urban home garden and strategies for gardening in community, rethinking our water and energy systems, learning the difference between a “job” and a “livelihood,” and the importance of placemaking and an empowered community. This important book documents the rise of a new sophistication, depth, and diversity in the approaches and thinking of permaculture designers and practitioners. Understanding nature can do more than improve how we grow, make, or consume things; it can also teach us how to cooperate, make decisions, and arrive at good solutions.Trade ReviewBooklist- "For the past six years, Hemenway’s acclaimed first book, Gaia’s Garden (2009), has been the world’s best-selling guidebook on home and garden permaculture. He now continues to champion this environmental philosophy that involves working with nature, instead of against it, for maximum sustainability. Although permaculture practices originally began with small-scale farms and gardens in mind, in his latest work Hemenway presents a much larger vision of applying them to metropolitan settings. In what is more than simply a handbook on finding space to grow fruits and vegetables in the concrete jungle, the author demonstrates just how widely the permaculture net can be cast by including advice on sustainably managing critical urban resources such as water, shelter, electricity, and even community centers. After introductory chapters on permaculture principles and the history and evolution of cities, Hemenway covers the basics of designing urban home gardens before moving on to discuss “water wisdom” and home energy solutions. An invaluable resource for city planners and dwellers alike, as well as an optimistic exploration of the possibilities for ecological well-being in our future urban landscapes.”Library Journal- "Permaculture refers to a method of agricultural design that uses natural approaches. While several chapters address the unique challenges and opportunities in creating an urban garden, Hemenway refers often to his first book, Gaia’s Garden, the initial major volume published in North America on permaculture principles, for further detail. Here, the author’s focus narrows to an urban setting, where permaculture means more than having a sustainable garden but can generate powerful change and community growth. Combining anecdotal stories of local U.S. neighborhoods practicing permaculture principles with black-and-white and color photos, Hemenway describes ways in which urban dwellers can not only create their own backyard oasis but join with their neighbors to build shared spaces in which to produce food, culture, and identity. Valuable tips on water conservation via rain harvesting and graywater collection mingle with advice on reducing energy consumption, producing local energy resources, and decreasing your foodshed and carbon footprints. Notes and index provide a reliable reference for further reading. VERDICT: An enlightening read for anyone interested in green gardening, environmental ethics, social justice issues, and seeking positive community change.”Publishers Weekly- "This eagerly awaited book from West Coast permaculture expert Hemenway, author of the classic Gaia's Garden, pushes permaculture design beyond its usual realm of homesteading and gardening, applying it to the complex systems that make up contemporary urban life. Other permaculturalists are also exploring these ideas, but Hemenway's intelligent, down-to-earth analyses, astute systems thinking, and clear organization offer a particularly comprehensive, open-ended, and sophisticated yet understandable overview to readers who want to discover, evaluate, utilize, and integrate the untapped resources abundant in any city or town. Hemenway focuses on the philosophical, ‘whetting appetites' and providing toolkits rather than in-depth instruction, with the goal of teaching readers 'to become adept at a whole-systems approach to living in and finding solutions in cities, towns, and suburbs.' Referencing livable-city innovators such as Jane Jacobs and human-scale design thinkers such as Christopher Alexander, Hemenway shows how permaculture concepts can be stretched and rethought in an urban setting to include not just one's house, garden, and yard but also neighbors, parks, and city agencies.”"Many people who are searching for a more fulfilling life, wanting to reduce their ecological footprint and build resilience for uncertain futures, grasp that permaculture might be part of the solution but are often unsure how it applies to their particular situation. For residents of towns and cities in the modern affluent world, The Permaculture City shows how permaculture design makes common sense."--David Holmgren, co-originator of the Permaculture concept"Toby Hemenway’s Gaia’s Garden is the go-to book I always recommend for those interested in permaculture. His new book, The Permaculture City, is the much-needed urban version, a great introduction and full of important information on adapting permaculture to an urban environment."--Starhawk, permaculture designer and author of The Empowerment Manual“The Permaculture City is a triumph in bringing the wisdom of permaculture practices to city dwellers. This book is a ‘bridge book’ for greening our urban landscapes. Rich in practical knowledge, Toby Hemenway is a trailblazer in demystifying the art of living sustainably within ecosystems: teaching how YOU can be a collaborative partner in a healthy urban biosphere. This book’s impact will be increasingly significant as we inevitably march toward living in built environments. For urban planners, architects, green builders, and simply citizens who want to enjoy a higher quality of life, The Permaculture City is The Book to lead the way.”--Paul Stamets, author of Mycelium Running: How Mushrooms Can Help Save the World “Permaculture is applied ecology, and its practice is evolving as society becomes more urbanized. As Toby Hemenway puts it, ‘We’re not just gardening plants but people, neighborhoods, and even cultures.’ Whether you’re new to permaculture or a seasoned ‘permie,’ The Permaculture City is essential: it captures the explorative state of the art in readable, often delightful prose. And, like all good permaculture books, it is eminently helpful at solving a myriad of practical problems in the home and garden.”--Richard Heinberg, Senior Fellow, Post Carbon Institute “Toby Hemenway combines the skill of a storyteller with the vigour of experience and insight. He shows us an urban landscape with gardens, food, energy systems, and architecture that can ensure genuine sustainability. Beyond these vital elements, he also creates a template for a new kind of city: a human scale collection of village communities where quality of life is valued above quantity of output. With the majority of the human race becoming city dwellers, this is vital information for a more collaborative, intelligent, and resilient urban landscape, one that will enable us to face serious challenges now, and in the future.”--Maddy Harland, co-founder and editor of Permaculture magazine and Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts "Toby Hemenway is among the true visionaries who can turn vision into practical action. The Permaculture City is a landmark book that will be used for decades as a compass and field guide to regenerate our world and communities. Toby depicts the virtuous circle people are already creating across the country and world, from small acts an individual can take, to larger systemic changes that only communities and societies can make. This is the gospel of building resilience from the ground up, and Toby is a true hero of our age—he shows us we’re all invited to the party.”--Kenny Ausubel, cofounder and CEO of Bioneers“Half the world’s people now live in cities, and as Toby Hemenway convincingly demonstrates, they can be at the very forefront of the revolution in how we live. This book will thrill you!”--Bill McKibben, author of Deep Economy“I'm someone with a strong bias towards country living and I've always thought that the phrase 'urban permaculture' is oxymoronic. I've often thought master planners should be working to revive small towns, not build more cities. Toby Hemenway has shown me the error of my ways. The function of a well-conceived city, he says, is to inspire. His book inspires.”--Albert Bates, president, Global Village Institute for Appropriate Technology"We stand at a crossroads where long-held societal beliefs are shattered and assumptions fall before knowledge and reality. Human civilization is in the balance. Few people have grasped the significance of the moment in the way that Toby Hemenway has. His voice is particularly important at this time. The Permaculture City is his attempt to understand what we are confronted with and to skew the discussion toward sustainability. There is no doubt that his message is timely and relevant. Read this book like the life of your children depended on it … because it does.”--John D. Liu, director of the Environmental Education Media Project and visiting fellow at the Netherlands Institute of Ecology"What a great, accessible, and timely book! The Permaculture City is a must-read for anyone who loves where they live, wishes to deepen their relationship and pleasure in and with it, and realizes that our food, water, and community resilience may depend upon it. Toby Hemenway offers great guidance for applying the lens of intentional design to increasing food self-reliance (and pleasure!), improving water efficiency and usage, and growing community, three elements that promise to improve the quality of relatedness to place as well as resilience in the face of weather and other uncertainties. "Whether the topic is gardening in a window box or creating a community garden, catching and channeling rainwater, or redesigning an edible landscape around a suburban home, this timely book offers everyone a window into the joy and longterm fulfillment of permaculture."--Nina Simons, co-founder of Bioneers and founder of Everywoman’s Leadership

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe 19921995 battle for Sarajevo was the longest siege in modern history. It was also the most internationalized, attracting a vast contingent of aid workers, UN soldiers, journalists, smugglers, and embargo-busters. The city took center stage under an intense global media spotlight, becoming the most visible face of post-Cold War conflict and humanitarian intervention. However, some critical activities took place backstage, away from the cameras, including extensive clandestine trading across the siege lines, theft and diversion of aid, and complicity in the black market by peacekeeping forces.In Blue Helmets and Black Markets, Peter Andreas traces the interaction between these formal front-stage and informal backstage activities, arguing that this created and sustained a criminalized war economy and prolonged the conflict in a manner that served various interests on all sides. Although the vast majority of Sarajevans struggled for daily survival and lived in a state Trade ReviewBlue Helmets and Black Markets provides a template for analyzing international interventions, suggesting that looking beyond the standard actors and actions yields some significant insights. * International Studies Review *Andreas does not deny the suffering or the heroism of those caught in the siege of Sarajevo or the deadly earnestness of those who maintained it. But he wants to make this savage tale whole by exposing corruption's part in exploiting and sustaining the violence. Andreas, with prose as lean as his analysis is rich, avoids moral judgments and focuses instead on the two-sided aspects of this sort of war: the illicit commerce between the warring parties, the profiteering by politicians struggling to save a community, the indulgences of outside agencies sent to help the victims. * Foreign Affairs *In this provocative study, Andreas examines the unexpected consequences of humanitarian intervention.... Drawing on extensive interviews, diaries, and memoirs of participants, and newspaper accounts, among other sources, Andreas argues that the internationalization of the siege paradoxically prolonged the conflict. Humanitarian assistance the international community provided to the people of Sarajevo became incorporated into the criminalized war economy that flourished in the besieged city.... The study also reveals the much more complex social dynamics that emerged and flourished during the conflict. In particular, far from severing ties between ethnic groups, the war economy sustained informal contacts and cross-ethnic collaboration in the midst of conflict. Andreas argues that the example of Sarajevo strongly suggests that uncovering the hidden dynamics of war economies is important because their legacies outlast a conflict's end and continue to shape postconflict reconstruction. Highly recommended. * Choice *Table of ContentsPreface1. The Longest Siege Sarajevo on Center Stage The Cast of Characters Front Stage and Backstage: Formal and Informal Roles Conflict Narratives Criminalized Conflict Narratives Preview2. Imposing the Siege The Road to Siege Warfare The Start of the Siege and the Criminally Aided Defense The International Response3. Sustaining the Siege Diverting and Manipulating Humanitarian Aid Exploiting the Privileges of Mobility and Access The UN-Controlled Airport as Smuggling Hub Tunneling under the Siege: Lifeline and Profit Center Trading with the Enemy The Media and Its Dependence on the Black Market The Money Letter Smuggling System The Smugglers' Markets and Cigarettes as Currency4. The Siege Within Criminal Defenders as Predators Political Corruption, Abuse, and Opportunism Obstructing Access to Water5. Lifting the Siege Front Stage:Triggering NATO Air Strikes Backstage: Shifting the Military Balance by Evading the UN Arms Embargo6. Aftermath The Criminalized Aftermath of War The Criminalized New Elite Sarajevo as Transit Point for Migrant Smuggling Sex Trafficking and Peacekeeping The Arizona Market: Peace through Illicit Trade?7. Extensions Srebrenica Leningrad Grozny FallujaConclusions Revisiting Sarajevo Lessons from SarajevoNotes Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn the first half of the twentieth century, urban elevated highways were much more than utilitarian infrastructure, lifting traffic above the streets; they were statements of civic pride, asserting boldly modern visions for a city's architecture, economy, and transportation network. Yet three of the most ambitious projects, launched in Chicago, New York, and Boston in the spirit of utopian models by architects such as Le Corbusier and Hugh Ferriss, ultimately fell short of their ideals. Modern Mobility Aloft is the first study to focus on pre-Interstate urban elevated highways within American architectural and urban history. Amy Finstein traces the idealistic roots of these superstructures, their contrasting realities once built, their impacts on successive development patterns, and the recent challenges they have posed to contemporary urban designers. Filled with more than 100 historic photographs and illustrations of beaux arts and art deco architecture, Modern Mobility Aloft provides a critical understanding of urban landscapes, transportation, and technological change as cities moved into the modern era.Trade Review“Like the elevated railroads before them, elevated highways have generally been viewed in negative terms by urban dwellers. Yet the elevated highway represents an important, if not altogether welcome, phase in the daunting challenges to reconcile the demands of accommodating motor vehicles to city fabric on a large scale. Amy Finstein’s beautifully researched and written book examines the seminal early stages of implementing this complex and costly infrastructure in Chicago, New York, and Boston during the first half of the twentieth century. Modern Mobility Aloft is an important analysis of the visionary schemes first devised to address the issue and the myriad factors involved in conceiving and implementing actual projects. Economic considerations, local politics, architectural design values, and changes in building and transportation technology are all addressed in a seamless, engaging narrative.”—Richard Longstreth, Professor of American Studies Emeritus, George Washington University“In Modern Mobility Aloft, Finstein looks deeply at the historical intersection of civil engineering, technology, and urbanism and comes up with a major topic that no one has seen before. She is exactly right in her assertion that the elevated highway as a specific mode of technological response to the problem of automobile congestion has not been treated systematically. More importantly, she sees the connection between the elevated highway and elements of modernist urbanism and culture. Her extensive, original archival work and case studies of downtown congestion and early highway design point to a new integration of the history of technology and urban history.”—Robert Fishman, Professor of Architecture and Urban Planning, Taubman College, University of Michigan"This handsomely produced, well-written book is about how three cities—New York, Chicago, and Boston—used elevated roadways well into the 20th century to alleviate the growing crush of traffic on surface roadways. Finstein chronicles the reconciliation of competing interests of political, engineering, and architectural remedies in the solutions offered and in what was either not built, built and later rebuilt, or demolished. Notable is Finstein's attention to issues of architectural style in projects thought of as mere engineering.... Well-illustrated with charts, plans, and photos, and supported by lots of endnotes and bibliographic information, this is an important scholarly resource. Summing Up: Recommended."—Choice"Modern Mobility Aloft focuses on the aesthetics of the structures, the design decisions that went into these highways, and their legacies.... [It is a] strong design-oriented history of elevated highways."—Technology and Culture"Finstein develops a clear and detailed narrative of the history and design of the three elevated highway projects, and presents an impressive amount of information, including numerous images, collected through extensive archival research. This makes the book an enjoyable read…. [T]he book offers important and relevant insights for urban planning and design professionals."—Journal of Planning History"[A] timely book.... Finstein offers an important addition to our understanding of the roots of America’s current transportation systems and of modern American cities.... One of the greatest strengths of Finstein’s work is the effective job she does of showing how a diffuse group of proponents viewed the elevated highways as the perfect solution to a range of issues faced in inter-war cities.... This book firmly and convincingly asserts that the period, the projects and the people who made them a reality influenced a great deal of the post-war world." —Urban History"A welcome addition to the growing body of literature on the impact of automobiles on the American built environment that includes suburbanization and large-scale highway systems.... Modern Mobility Aloft effectively broadens and deepens our understanding of highways as built form."—Buildings & Landscapes

Read more less

Book SynopsisHonorable Mention, 2021 Edited Collection Book Award, given by the Association for the Study of Food and Society How gentrification uproots the urban food landscape, and what activists are doing to resist itFrom hipster coffee shops to upscale restaurants, a bustling local food scene is perhaps the most commonly recognized harbinger of gentrification. A Recipe for Gentrification explores this widespread phenomenon, showing the ways in which food and gentrification are deeplyand, at times, controversiallyintertwined. Contributors provide an inside look at gentrification in different cities, from major hubs like New York and Los Angeles to smaller cities like Cleveland and Durham. They examine a wide range of food enterprisesincluding grocery stores, restaurants, community gardens, and farmers' marketsto provide up-to-date perspectives on why gentrification takes place, and how communities use food to push back against displacement. Ultimately, they unpack the consequences for vulnerableTrade ReviewThe authors in this collection not only make a significant contribution to food studies but also create an important and much needed place for food within the scholarship on urban planning and gentrification ... This book should be on the shelves of every trendy coffee shop or bookstore in the neighborhoods examined in this volume, or anywhere in the country that people gather in places made possible at great expense to others because of what gentrification has wrought. * Food, Culture, and Society *This book cleverly weaves together a wide range of ways in which food intersects with gentrification, while the complex issues explored are made accessible to a broad audience. A Recipe for Gentrification will be of interest to food justice scholars and activists; urban researchers and planners; as well as community organizers, small business owners, and allies who seek to deepen their understanding of their own implications in processes of gentrification and social justice. * The AAG Review of Books *The book remains an exciting and tangible exploration of the topics of social justice, urban agriculture, community capacity building, and the right to the city. It can be recommended as an equally engaging entry point for any one of them. * Journal of Cultural Economy *In a short time, food—what we consume and how we consume it, how it's made, where it comes from and how it gets transported—has gone from a frivolous topic for social science research to a significant one. Urban scholars have been paying attention. By looking at actual city spaces, this volume tackles the important issue of the link between food and where we live. Specifically, these chapters address how the ways that food gets made, purchased, and eaten are intertwined with processes of gentrification, giving us a new lens for understanding this complicated form of urban change. Displacement, inequality, community conflict, development policy, and resistance, among many other critical issues, receive insightful analyses from researchers studying an array of food-related activities in several North American cities. Food's implications in and for gentrification is a focus whose time has come, and luckily we now have this volume to start the conversation. -- Richard E. Ocejo, author of Masters of Craft: Old Jobs in the New Urban EconomyThese valuable studies show how food has become the cultural frontier of urban change. From urban farms to farmers’ markets, interactions between food and place empower gentrification but also enable resistance to it. Alerting us to the slippery slope from appropriation to dispossession, the authors make the crucial point that the city’s authenticity depends on diversity more than on good taste. -- Sharon Zukin, author, Naked City: The Death and Life of Authentic Urban PlacesThis edited volume, focused on the interplay of food, place, and urban gentrification, offers an extensive mix of rich sociological and food-activist discourse that could potentially spark lively discussion in both urban studies and urban planning courses. * CHOICE *The methodological approaches, grounded primarily in ethnography, center people directly impacted by unjust policies and extractive approaches to development…The contributors pushed me to think about the role of scholars in these uneven food systems and gentrification processes, both structurally and culturally. * Gastronomica *A Recipe for Gentrification should be foundational reading for any sociology or food studies scholar and anyone pursuing a career in urban development or real estate.The collection should also be required reading for anyone interested in urban agriculture or community gardens professionally or as a volunteer. * Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development *

Read more less

Book SynopsisHow often does a visitor to Rome drift towards some landmark and wonder who created it? Why? What was their story? This fascinating book provides the answers. At once a history and a guide, it divides Rome into the districts dominated by the fabulously rich families of the Popes: the Colonna, della Rovere, Farnese, Borghese, Barberini and others. In each case we learn their story - powerful, bloody and vivid - with all the scandals and intrigues as well as their relationships with artists like Bernini and Michelangelo. As we stroll through Rome's history - either literally or in the imagination - we discover it afresh. Famous sites like the Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps and St Peter's take on new significance as we watch the city rise from cramped medieval streets to become a glorious panorama of piazzas and palaces, fountains, towers and domes.Trade Review[An] intriguing and original book...even the armchair tourist can benefit -- Tim Blanning * Sunday Telegraph *Elegant and informative...an entertaining mix of travelogue and history...we flit agreeably through the chequered history of the papacy -- Charles Nicholl * Sunday Times *Anthony Majanlahti wears his scholarship lightly and tempers his enthusiasm with humour; he has a thousand tales to tell... Enormously entertaining * Times Literary Supplement *Marvellous... For anyone interested in delving further into one of the world's most beautiful and extraordinary cities, this is essential reading * Tablet *Fascinating... A fine account of a decadent age and place * RA Magazine *

Read more less

Book SynopsisFrom the shaping of new homelands in the Cherokee Nation to the export of sand from Cambodia to shore up urban expansion in Singapore, The Social Lives of Land reveals the dynamics of contemporary social and political change. The editors of this volume bring together contributions from across multiple disciplines and geographic locations. The contributions showcase novel theoretical and empirical insights, analyzing how people are living on, with, and from their land. From Mozambique to India, Indonesia, Ecuador, and the colonial United States, the scholars in this collection uncover histories and retell stories with a focus on the lived experiences of rural and urban land dispossession and repossession.Contributors: Kati Álvarez, Clint Carroll, Flora Lu, Richard Mbunda, Gregg Mitman, Paul Nadasdy, Robert Nichols, Andrew Ofstehage, Laura Schoenberger, Kirsteen Shields, Emmanuel Sulle, Erik Swyngedouw, Gabriela Valdivia, Katherine Verdery, Ca

Read more less

Book SynopsisOver the last several decades, life in Lahore has been undergoing profound transformations, from rapid and uneven urbanization to expanding state institutions and informal economies. What do these transformations look like if viewed from the lens of waste materials and the lives of those who toil with them? In Lahore, like in many parts of Pakistan and South Asia, waste workers—whether municipal employees or informal laborers—are drawn from low- or noncaste (Dalit) groups and dispose the collective refuse of the city's 11 million inhabitants. Bringing workers into contact with potentially polluting materials reinforces their stigmatization and marginalization, and yet, their work allows life to go on across Lahore and beyond. This historical and ethnographic account examines how waste work has been central to organizing and transforming the city of Lahore—its landscape, infrastructures, and life—across historical moments, from the colonial period to the present. Building upon conversations about changing configurations of work and labor under capitalism, and utilizing a theoretical framework of reproduction, Waqas H. Butt traces how forms of life in Punjab, organized around caste-based relations, have become embedded in infrastructures across Pakistan, making them crucial to numerous processes unfolding at distinct scales. Life Beyond Waste maintains that processes reproducing life in a city like Lahore must be critically assessed along the lines of caste, class, and religion, which have been constitutive features of urbanization across South Asia.Trade Review"This book helps us understand the centrality of caste as a category and the processes of pollution/purity linked as they are to the labyrinths through which waste work is organized in Lahore. It is a path-breaking contribution to the fields of urban studies, informal labor practices and the production of social marginality in Pakistan. It will undoubtedly be a model for future research."—Kamran Asdar Ali, University of Texas, Austin"Life Beyond Waste is a deeply sensitive ethnography of Lahore's waste workers and traders, offering luminous insights on the entanglements of people, matter, and institutions that constitute the city's "waste infrastructure." The book is also distinctive for its historical analysis of how agrarian class and caste inequalities are reproduced in urban Pakistan. A model for urban anthropology and waste studies!"—Vinay Gidwani, University of Minnesota"Butt shows waste infrastructure is about more than where pollution goes and who decides. Combining richly-detailed ethnography with in-depth history on the continuity between colonial governance and recent statecraft, he uncovers the diverse forms of labor that are necessary to reproduce urban life and inequality, whether in Pakistan or in wasted worlds beyond."—Joshua Reno, Binghamton University"How is hate channeled through waste work carried out by Christians as non-Muslims? How do powerlessness and anger touch the lives of those who work with waste materials? Butt's interventions on these critical questions bring to life a story of caste, waste work, and urban life that are not only in a state of flux and transformation but also a site of contestation and struggle."—Nausheen H. Anwar, The Developing EconomiesTable of ContentsPreface 1. Introduction 2. An Order for Urban Life 3. The Appearance of Things 4. Surplus and Its Excess 5. The Unevenness of Intimacy 6. The Possibility of Reproduction 7. Coda

Read more less

Book SynopsisHousing, Homelessness, and Social Policy in the Urban North brings together leading scholars on northern urban housing across the Canadian North, Alaska, and Greenland. Through various case studies, the contributors examine the ways in which housing insecurity and homelessness provide a critical lens on the social dimensions of northern urbanization. They also present key considerations in the development of effective and sustainable social policy for these areas. The book kickstarts a conversation between multiple stakeholders from different cultural and national regions across the North American north. It asks key questions including these: What are the common problems of, and responses to, housing insecurity and homelessness across these northern regions? Is a single definition of homelessness even possible, or desirable? And if not, can a shared language around how to end the housing crisis and homelessness in our northern regions still occur? The contributors exTable of ContentsIntroduction Section One: The Canadian North Regional Introduction: The Canadian North Julia Christensen 1: It’s a Tough Game: Navigating Housing Monopolies in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada Lisa Freeman and Julia Christensen 2: Responding to Homelessness in Yellowknife: Pushing the Ocean Back with a Spoon Nick Falvo 3: An “Urban” Issue, and the Issue with “Urban”: Contextualizing Homelessness in Whitehorse Alexandra Nelson 4: Homelessness, Mobility, and Migration from the James Bay Carol Kauppi, Michael Hankard, and Henri Pallard 5: A Different Kind of “Ecological Refugee”: Land Claims, Migration, and Inequalities in Northern Labrador Joshua Moses 6: Making Place Home: The Contradictions of Inuit Housing in a Liberal Democracy Frank Tester Section Two: Alaska Regional Introduction: Alaska Sally Carraher and Travis Hedwig 7: Northern Voices on Homelessness: Engaging the Public and Promoting Inclusivity for Homeless Alaskans in Public Discourse Sally Carraher and Travis Hedwig 8: Differing Meanings of Housing First: Lessons Learned from a Single-Site Program Evaluation in Anchorage, Alaska Travis Hedwig 9: Alaska Is a Very Small Town: Moving Towards an Understanding of Homelessness in the Urban North Clare Dannenberg Section Three: Greenland Regional Introduction: Greenland Steven Arnfjord and Julia Christensen 10: In Search of Security: Women’s Homelessness in Nuuk, Greenland Steven Arnfjord and Julia Christensen 11: Welfare Colonialism and Geographies of Homelessness in Nuuk, Greenland Julia Christensen, Steven Arnfjord, and Marie-Louise Aastrup Conclusion Epilogue: Homelessness across the Arctic in the Shadow of COVID-19

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis highly accessible guide equips community work and related professionals and students to make the best use of theory in their work. Linking contemporary theory and practice, the book guides the reader through such diverse areas as young people, adult learning, health, social media and leadership in community work.Table of ContentsIntroduction – Karen McArdle, Sue Briggs, Ed Garrett and Kirsty Forrester 1. Professional Learning – Sue Briggs and Karen McArdle 2. Social Justice – Karen McArdle 3. Equality and Inclusion – Kirsty Forrester and Karen McArdle 4. Impact, Change and Making a Difference – Karen McArdle 5. Participation – Karen McArdle 6. Working With Communities – Karen McArdle 7. Community Engagement – Ed Garrett and Karen McArdle 8. Networking and Partnership – Kirsty Forrester 9. Health and Well-being – Ed Garrett and Karen McArdle 10. Youth Work – Kirsty Forrester and Karen McArdle 11. Adult Learning – Kirsty Forrester 12. Employability – Kirsty Forrester 13. The Environment – Ed Garrett and Karen McArdle 14. Community Arts – Sue Briggs and Karen McArdle 15. Digital Community Work – Kirsty Forester 16. Community Research – Karen McArdle 17. Leadership in Community Work – Kirsty Forrester and Sue Briggs Conclusion and Celebration – Karen McArdle, Sue Briggs, Ed Garrett and Kirsty Forrester

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisWriter Tanya Zack and photographer Mark Lewis offer a stunning portrait of Johannesburg and personal stories of its residents, showing how its urban transformation occurs not in a series of dramatic, widescale changes but in the everyday lives, actions, and dreams of individuals.Trade Review"These pieces are sometimes sad, sometimes inspiring, and add up to a complicated picture of a city of contradictions. . . . Wake Up, This Is Joburg tells its range of interesting stories well, through on-the-ground reporting, with ample interviews and context, letting a variety of people around Johannesburg talk about both the struggles and successes of everyday life in the inner city." -- Jeff Fleischer * Foreword *"Wake Up, This Is Joburg effectively frames Johannesburg as one of the continent’s most important entrepôts where people journey from various nodes of the country and continent to earn a decent living. Rather than criminalise their activities, these stories provoke readers to ‘wake up’ and pay attention to those who make this city a fascinating but enigmatic place to live." -- Denise L. Lim * Urban Studies *"There is rich nuance in Tanya Zack’s flowing, sensitive narrative and Mark Lewis’s striking photography. The stories they tell are deeply human and individualised, yet cleverly interwoven within Johannesburg’s broader racial, social and economic anomalies. . . . This is an extraordinary book, with beautiful, powerful photographs and a sensitive, robust and accessible narrative. It provides a fresh perspective on life, struggle, survival, creativity and uniqueness in one of Africa’s major cities." -- Chris Heymans * litnet *"As a collection of salient imagery and anecdotes, the book is a poignant refutation of the cultural anger gripping White South African communities, and a visually arresting plea to recognise the city as an important cosmopolitan hub. As South Africa’s metropoles continue to undergo major political change, Wake Up, This Is Joburg is a critical reminder that it is the barriers to integration constructed by the white political class that have created the country’s political woes." -- Joe Konieczny * Visual Studies *Table of ContentsForeword. True Places / Achal Prabhala ix Acknowledgments xv Introduction 1 1. S’kop 27 2. Tony Dreams in Yellow and Blue 53 3. Inside Out 81 4. Zola 115 5. Good Riddance 143 6. Tea at Anstey’s 175 7. Bedroom 211 8. Master Mansions 241 9. Johannesburg. Made in China 271 10. Undercity 305 References 337 Index 339

Read more less

Book SynopsisGet the most out of every bit of balcony space to easily grow your own sustainable, organic, and tasty food.Do you love having a balcony but aren''t sure how you can use it as a space to grow? Do you feel that being a few stories up in a building stops you from growing delicious crops? If the answer is yes, then it''s time you read this book.Instagram sensation Patrick Vernuccio AKA @TheFrenchieGardener is a small-space grower with a big message. Building on his inspirational content, Tomatoes and Basil on the 5th Floor showcases easy and informative ways to grow fresh produce in containers and on a balcony, proving that anyone can enjoy tasty, organic food all year round.From dividing store-bought basil plants, to harvesting vegetables at the best time of year, to letting plants set seed for the benefit of wildlife, Patrick takes his readers through myriad ways to get crops and produce out of very limited space. Working with the seasons and with good-quality seed and compost, he explains all you need to know to ensure every inch of your balcony can give you tasty and beautiful crops to harvest.

Read more less

Book Synopsis'A lyrical meditation on landscapes and cities, vivid reportage and a memoir. And also a beautifully realised and moving read.' Financial Times'A beguiling mix of history, geology, folklore and memoir that captivated me from the first page.' Lara Maiklem, author of Mudlarking'Tom Chivers brings a poet's sensibility to this book about the hidden parts of the capital, mixing the past with the present, the known with the unknown and his personal story with social history and geology.' Bernardine Evaristo, author of Girl, Woman, OtherWhat secrets lie beneath a city?Tom Chivers follows hidden pathways, explores lost islands and uncovers the geological mysteries that burst up through the pavement and bubble to the surface of our streets. From Roman ruins to a submerged playhouse, from an abandoned Tube station to underground rivers, Chivers leads us on a journey into the depths of the city he loves.A lyrical interrogation of a capital city, a landscape and our connection to place, London Clay celebrates urban edgelands: in-between spaces where the natural world and the metropolis collide. Through a combination of historical research, vivid reportage and personal memoir, it will transform how you see London, and cities everywhere.'Tom Chivers, with the forensic eye of an investigator, the soul of a poet, is an engaging presence; a guide we would do well to follow.' Iain Sinclair, author of The Last LondonTrade ReviewWill open readers' eyes to what is around and below them ... Its delight in exploration is matched by a thoughtful meditation on grief. * Economist *Periodic surprises even for the most dedicated student of this subject ... movingly written. -- Caroline Crampton * Spectator *Incredible ... More than a simply a cracking read, it's a book that will inspire you to go out and make your own discoveries. You'll never look at the city in the same way again. * Londonist *London Clay by Tom Chivers, is perfect. He brings a poet's sensibility to this prose nonfiction book about the hidden parts of the capital, mixing the past with the present, the known with the unknown and his personal story with social history and geology. -- Bernardine Evaristo, author of Girl, Woman, Other[Chivers] combines the modern phenomenon of psycho-geographer with the ancient trade of poet ...Action-packed, erudite... an audiobook to savour slowly. -- Christina Hardyment * The Times *

Read more less