The DPU produces engaging blogs written by staff, students, alumni and partners on a range of relevant and topical subjects

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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