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The DPU produces engaging blogs written by staff, students, alumni and partners on a range of relevant and topical subjects
Women’s Political Participation in Somaliland
Reflections from the ‘Women’s Political Participation in Somaliland’ event that took place on the 2nd of February 2017 and was presented by the UCL Development Planning Unit DPU, Somaliland Mission to the UK and Somaliland Focus (UK).
From heroes to villains: Brazil at risk of moving away from the New Urban Agenda
By Julia Moretti and Alexandre Apsan Frediani
Call to support the mobilisation against a new presidential act that intends to dismantle the regulations for land regularization in Brazil.
The Holy City of Makkah: Growth, Informal Areas and Urban Identity
Spatial transformations caused by a coterie of social and economic factors have profoundly altered the urban landscape in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. In a lecture held at the Bartlett’s Department Planning Unit (DPU), urban specialist Dr. Muhammad Khadim discussed informal settlements in Makkah and measures to address the challenges posed by their growth.
Imagining a Social Enterprise Model for the Provision of Pro-poor Housing Solutions in the Philippines
In November 2013, super typhoon Yolanda hit the Philippines in full swing. Fragile shelter structures across the archipelago’s coastal areas did not withstand the strong winds and storm surges brought about by Yolanda. In the aftermath of the disaster, the government launched an emergency programme with the mission to ‘build back better’ [1]. The government was supported by the international humanitarian community, whose swift response matched the scale of the disaster in its scope and ambition. Yet serious funding challenges were said to hamper recovery.
Lebanon and the Syrian refugee crisis – Lessons to be learnt
The debate and discourse surrounding migration and the current refugee crisis is one that can be contentious and to a certain extent emotive bringing about polarised stands amongst different parties.
Climate-induced resettlement risk
I attended the Hugo Conference in Liège/Luik, Belgium from the 3rd – 5th Nov. 2016. The conference marked the creation of The Hugo Observatory for Environmental Migration at the University of Liège, named for the Australian migration scholar Graeme Hugo. Designed to feed into the UN Climate Change Conference (COP22) taking place in Marrakech a few days later, the conference focused on two areas that seem to be gaining attention in the global research and policy landscape: migration and climate change.
Collective practices vs. the Neoliberal City?
Has democracy failed to resist the neoliberal vision of the city and does architecture have anything to contribute to the debate? A presentation by Leonardo Cappetto, an architect and co-founder of Grupo TOMA, came as a fresh and potent ray of hope on Thursday evening – 17th November 2016. Thanks to Dr. Camilo Boano, Leonardo was invited to present at the Development Planning Unit. His presentation commenced by juxtaposing the rise of populist right-wing politicians almost all around the world and the seeming demise of an alternative to the neoliberal city.
Playing with goldfish: Engaging people through games in the age of the falling attention span
Research in the age of the falling attention span
Harnessing ideas, partnerships and resources to transform urban Sierra Leone
Dr Andrea Rigon and Dr Alexandre Apsan Frediani from the DPU coordinated and supported a delegation from Freetown (Sierra Leone) at the UN Habitat III conference.
‘Africa Regional Dossier’ highlights some key issues raised by civil society groups in advance of Habitat III
For the past year and a half the DPU has worked in collaboration with the international civil society network Habitat International Coalition (HIC) to understand the various preparations and processes leading up to Habitat III, set to take place in Quito, Ecuador, in October. Namely, the intent has been to understand how civil society groups and grassroots movements have been involved (or not) in these processes, that are meant to culminate in the ‘New Urban Agenda’, to be agreed upon by national governments at the Habitat conference.
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