On 28-29 August 2009 in Manchester, activist geographers from around the world will share experiences, insights and methods in relation to defending people’s ‘right to stay put’ and resisting gentrification, displacement and privatisation as part of urban regeneration schemes.
The Right to Stay Put: Contesting Displacement in Urban Regeneration is being organised by Chris Allen (Manchester Metropolitan University), Lee Crookes (University of Sheffield), Stuart Hodkinson (University of Leeds), and Tom Slater (University of Edinburgh). It is taking place as a fringe event of the Royal Geographical Society / Institute of British Geographers Annual International Conference – see www.rgs.org
Inspired by Chester Hartman’s notion of the ‘right to stay put’ for lower income group struggles against gentrification, the conference takes place at a time when gentrification and related processes of privatisation and marketisation have become integral to neoliberal urban strategies across the world. Despite this proliferation, academics have generally responded poorly to Hartman’s call to arms. Rather, as Slater observes (2006, 2008), gentrification research has generally lost its critical edge, and from some quarters gentrification has even been celebrated as beneficial to incumbent low-income groups (Freeman, 2006; Vigdor, 2002).
The aim of the event is to restore Hartman’s principle to the heart of gentrification research by inviting contributions from activist geographers in the widest sense of the term (academics, teachers, housing professionals, campaigners, trade unionists and ordinary residents) to share and exchange their experiences, insights and methods to better defend people’s ‘right to stay put’.
In the spirit of making geography ‘relevant’ beyond the policy-academy complex, the session will have a practical orientation and will offer reflections, stories, tactics, lessons and strategies for developing successful urban resistances. The aims are to: (1) share experiences and develop practical knowledges about what works in urban resistance; (2) create an educational space for encounter and dialogue between those involved in similar critical work and activism; and (3) start to develop an action research network and a knowledge/resource base for wider dissemination.
A variety of speakers will recount stories of regeneration and resistance from around the world, including London, Berlin, Zurich, Mumbai, Istanbul, Toronto, Dublin, Chicago, Glasgow, Melbourne, South Africa, Möllevången as well as addressing questions of building (un)successful local and global networks of opposition and creating alternatives. It will be followed by a tour of Manchester’s urban development and struggles, and then a social-benefit event in the evening with films.
Full details, including venue directions and programme, on www.autonomousgeographies.org/righttostayput
— Stuart Hodkinson
‘Third time lucky’ was Lammas’ motto as they resubmitted their planning application in November 2008. Despite being beleaguered by Byzantine bureaucratic bungling the group remain committed to developing nine eco-smallholdings and a community hub building on their first site in Pembs, Wales and the land purchase is going ahead.
The latest application is more than 1,500 pages long and includes reports from the Soil Association, WWF and permaculture experts. It is free for all to see and use from their website. The previous application received over 850 letters of support, yet it was still refused, so it is important that even more people write this time – write asap to planningenquiries@pembrokeshire.gov.uk, including your postal address and the reference: 08/0962/PA.
The latest chapter in Lammas’ planning saga involved being refused the right to appeal as the re-application had no ‘Access Statement’ and so was deemed invalid! Pembs CC then claimed Lammas would have to pay for a new application in full (£3000) despite it being their mistake! Only on the eve before Lammas was to take PCC to the High Court over the issue did they finally relent and allow a new application without further expense!
Lammas’ application comes under PCC’s Low Impact Policy 52. The Policy’s SPG describes developing applications as a “process” (point 3) involving dialogue (points 4-6). Similarly, Local Development Frameworks, which set the planning agenda across the UK ‘must ensure the active meaningful and continued involvement of the community throughout the process’ (UK Government’s Planning Portal http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/). Over two years of working with PCC Lammas remained committed to this ‘process’, lobbying consistently and patiently for meetings, or even replies to emails and phone calls! This has all been fully documented and is available in an eye opening report available at http://www.lammas.org.uk/ecovillage/documents/TheProcess.pdf
So what are the lessons from all this?
Lammas’ softly, softly approach seeking to work with the planning system has led to huge delays during which time the climate crisis worsens and prospective LIDers living locally pour savings into inadequate accommodation! Opportunities to harness people’s energy and develop sustainable solutions are lost. Whilst it remains invaluable to have the LID movement broadened by projects seeking planning permission before commencement, the UK planning system is clearly ill equipped for the speed and scale of the challenges we face! Until it is equipped, it remains essential that people continue to take direct action towards the sustainability transition in every way they can, from occupying airports to building low impact lives.
Lammas can be contacted at www.lammas.org.uk
— Stuart Hodkinson
Low Impact Development: The Future in our Hands. Low Impact Development is an idea whose time has come. A radical form of sustainable housing and livelihood which is in tune with the natural environment, it offers us innovative solutions for the environmental, social and economic challenges of the 21st century.
This book outlines the what, why and how of Low Impact Development. In addition to exploring its potential, the book contains inspiring stories from those who have put Low Impact Development into practice, and plenty of ideas of how you can get involved.
Edited by Jenny Pickerill and Larch Maxey, the book includes contributions from Simon Fairlie, Tony Wrench, Simon Dale and many more.
Copies are available through our website
£5 for A5 hardcopy or download PDF
— Stuart Hodkinson
‘Engaging Geography’ is a seminar series (funded by the Economic and Social Research Council) that aims to explore and respond to key challenges facing geography in 2008 and beyond: the ‘state’ of the discipline, its disciplinary identity and public face; a lack of interaction between academic, school, and other geographers; the perceived inability to engage with and influence the world and public(s) ‘out there’ (see Castree et al, 2007); and the increasing calls for academics to play more prominent public roles, at a time of developing growth in ‘public’ variants of many social science disciplines (see Attwood, 2007).
Our first seminar will be held on Friday and Saturday January 23rd and 24th, 2009 at the Star and Shadow Cinema in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK (see www.starandshadow.org.uk ):
‘How did that happen?’ The creation of time and space for public geographies
This introductory event will be held over a 24-hour period, with the aim of identifying common themes and issues about ‘new public geography’ through panel discussion and open floor debate, presentations and interventions of varying types focused on exploring ‘how did that happen?’
We wish to encourage anyone with an interest in ‘engaging geography’ to participate – academics, researchers, students, practitioners, and, of course, members of ‘the public’. We hope to facilitate the inclusion of as wide a constituency of ‘geographers’ as possible, by creating time and space for discussion around stories of engagements, the initiation of enduring relationships and research, issues of communication/translation, engaging geographical work beyond academic publication, successes and failures, and perceptions of those on ‘the receiving end’ of geographical engagements, with a particular focus on exploring how publics value the time and expertise of geographers.
PLEASE FORWARD TO ANYONE YOU THINK MAY BE INTERESTED…
The seminar will include:
Friday 23 Jan
· Arrivals, lunch, informal conversations …
· ‘How did that happen?’: panel discussants and open floor debate
o Susan Buckingham (Middlesex University)
o Ian Cook (Exeter University)
o Rachel Pain (Durham University)
o Tom Wakeford (Director, Beacons of Public Engagement)
· ‘Conversations I’: small group debate and feedback, drawing on people’s wider experiences and thoughts on public geography*
*Participants are encouraged to do some ‘homework’ for the seminar, asking students, colleagues, research contacts, family and/or friends relevant questions around ‘what is public geography?’ – and to bring their ‘findings’ with them
· Evening meal … in honour of Dr. Duncan Fuller, who was the driving force behind this seminar series before his unexpected death early in October
Saturday 24 Jan
· Film screening: collaborations between geographers/academics and ‘publics’
o Matthew Gandy (UCL)/PUKAR: water issues in Mumbai
o Neil Percival (Northumbria Uni): community film making – experiences of racism in the north east of England
· ‘public geographies in action’ – presentations of (local) case studies with Q&A
o Neil Denton (Newcastle City Council): ‘Perceptions of safety at the neighbourhood level’
o New Line Graffiti Promotions
o Participatory Evaluation and Appraisal in Newcastle-upon-Tyne (PEANuT)
o John Woodward (Northumbria Uni) Antarctic research / schools education work
· ‘Conversations II’ – round up of emerging themes, ‘where do we take this’, discussion around dissemination and outputs etc
· public-orientated intervention in Newcastle city centre, around the issue of ID cards…
All participants are encouraged to bring posters/leaflets/info about specific projects/research they feel is relevant to debate: space will be made available to present any such material.
We hope to also show the photographic exhibition that resulted from the ‘Rescue Geographies’ project, recently installed at MADE gallery in Birmingham, throughout the event: see http://www.rescuegeography.org.uk/default.htm
The seminar is FREE TO ATTEND, and being run midday Friday to Saturday afternoon in order to enable those outside academia with work commitments Mon-Fri to attend for at least part of the conference – please indicate on the application form (available from kye.askins@northumbria.ac.uk or phone 0191 227 3743) which days you intend to participate.
Later seminars in this series will include:
Geographers, artists and their publics.
Activist Geographies: developing collaborating research priorities with social movements.
Geographies and policy.
Border crossings – geographies in schools.
Communicating public geographies…
http://engaginggeography.wordpress.com/
— Stuart Hodkinson
THE CREDIT CRISIS AND ITS CONSEQUENCES
The end of the world as we know it?
Rupert Beckett Lecture Theatre
University of Leeds 6-8pm
Tuesday 18th November
From its origins in the US sub-prime mortgage market last year, the “credit crunch” has spread far and wide, and now threatens a severe global recession. The human cost in terms of jobs and homes is growing and governments have been forced to take unprecedented measures to bail out the banks. The teach-in will examine the origins of the credit crisis and why it has become so severe; the policies now being pursued nationally and internationally; and the long-term economic and political implications, particularly in relation to financial regulation and global governance. After brief presentations from our panel of speakers, the audience will be invited to ask questions on any and all aspects of the crisis.
Panel of Speakers:
Prof. Giuseppe Fontana (Professor of Monetary Economics, LUBS)
Dr. Jim Kincaid (Research Fellow, POLIS)
Bernard Nelson (Investment Consultant, Mercer Ltd.)
Hugo Radice (Research Fellow, POLIS)
Chair: Dr. Charlie Dannreuther (Lecturer, POLIS)
— Stuart Hodkinson
The Permaculture Association (Britain) is a small education and research charity that supports individuals and groups to learn more about the theory and practice of permaculture. It is currently advertising two vacancies for a Project Coordinator and Finance Clerk at its Leeds office. Closing date: 27 June 2008. More information can be downloaded from its website
— Stuart Hodkinson
Hicham Yezza, a popular, respected and valued former PhD student and current employee of the University of Nottingham faces deportation to Algeria on Sunday 1st June. This follows his unjust arrest under the Terrorism Act 2000 on Wednesday 14th May alongside Rizwaan Sabir and their release without charge six days later.
It has subsequently become clear that these arrests, which the police had claimed related to so-called “radical materials” involved an Al Qaeda manual downloaded by Sabir as part of his research into political Islam and emailed to Yezza for printing because Sabir couldn’t afford to get it printed himself.
There has been a vocal response from lecturers and students. A petition is being circulated, letters have been sent by academics across the world and a demo is being planned for Wednesday. 28th May. This has clearly been deeply embarrassing to a government currently advocating an expansion of anti-terror powers.
On his release Hicham was re-arrested under immigration legislation and, due to confusion over his visa documentation, charged with offences relating to his immigration status. He sought legal advice and representation over these matters whilst in custody. On Friday 23rd May, he was suddenly served with a deportation notice and moved to an immigration detention centre. The deportation is being urgently appealed.
Hicham has been resident in the U.K. for 13 years, during which time he has studied for both undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in Nottingham. He is an active member of debating societies, a prominent member of an arts and theatre group, and has written for, and edited, Ceasefire, the Nottingham Student Peace Movement magazine for the last five years.
He is well known and popular on campus amongst the university community and has established himself as a voracious reader and an authority on literature and music. An application for British citizenship was underway, and he had been planning to make his yearly trip to Wales for the Hay Festival when he was suddenly arrested.
The authorities are clearly trying to circumvent the criminal justice system and force Hicham out of the country. Normally they would have to wait for criminal proceedings to finish, but here they have managed to convince the prosecution to drop the charges in an attempt to remove him a quick, covert manner. The desire for justice is clearly not the driving force behind this, as Hicham was happy to stand trial and prove his innocence.
Hicham had a large social network and many of his friends are mobilising to prevent his deportation. Matthew Butcher, 20, a student at the University of Nottingham and member of the 2008-9 Students Union Executive, said, “This is an abhorrent abuse of due process, pursued by a government currently seeking to expand anti-terror powers. Following the debacle of the initial ‘terror’ arrests they now want to brush the whole affair under the carpet by deporting Hicham.”
Supporters have been able to talk with Hicham and he said, “The Home Office operates with a Gestapo mentality. They have no respect for human dignity and human life. They treat foreign nationals as disposable goods – the recklessness and the cavalier approach they have belongs to a totalitarian state. I thank everyone for their support – it’s been extremely heartening and humbling. I’m grateful to everyone who has come to my aid and stood with me in solidarity, from students to Members of Parliament. I think this really reflects the spirit of the generous, inclusive Britain we know – and not the faceless, brutal, draconian tactics of the Home Office.”
From a group of Nottingham residents, concerned student and academics at the University of Nottingham.
http://freehichamyezza.wordpress.com/
Email: staffandstudents@googlemail.com
Phone: 07948590262 / 07505863957
— Stuart Hodkinson
A new book has been published bringing together the diverse stories about many of the UK’s social centres, along with thoughts on their effectiveness, the problems they encounter, and the political ideas they encapsulate. What’s this place? has been written by activists involved in social centres with support from the Autonomous Geographies project.
— Stuart Hodkinson
Undercurrents have released the latest episode of their video series ‘Living in the Future’ about Lammas and many other ecovillage type projects around the world. Living in the Future highlights how people have come together to build their own homes, grow their own food, and create lively and sustainable communities.
— Stuart Hodkinson
Rob Hopkins has recently released his new book “The Transition Handbook”. For an excellent review of this book by Robert Morgan and a video clip from Caroline Lucas MEP about the transition town movement and the new book, visit: transitionculture.org
— Stuart Hodkinson
On 28-29 August 2009 in Manchester, activist geographers from around the world will share experiences, insights and methods in relation to defending people’s ‘right to stay put’ and resisting gentrification, displacement and privatisation as part of urban regeneration schemes.
‘Third time lucky’ was Lammas’ motto as they resubmitted their planning application in November 2008. Despite being beleaguered by Byzantine bureaucratic bungling the group remain committed to developing nine eco-smallholdings and a community hub building on their first site in Pembs, Wales and the land purchase is going ahead.
A new book on Low Impact Development has just been published. Edited by Jenny Pickerill and Larch Maxey, with contributions from Simon Fairlie, Tony Wrench, Simon Dale and many more, Low Impact Development: The Future in our Hands explores the radical form of sustainable housing and livelihood in tune with the natural environment and offering innovative solutions for the environmental, social and economic challenges of the 21st century.
Engaging Geography is a seminar series (funded by the Economic and Social Research Council) that aims to explore and respond to key challenges facing geography in 2008 and beyond. Our first seminar will be held on Friday and Saturday January 23rd and 24th, 2009 at the Star and Shadow Cinema in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK (see www.starandshadow.org.uk ): ‘How did that happen?’ The creation of time and space for public geographies.
University of Leeds, Rupert Beckett Lecture Theatre, 6-8pm.
The teach-in will examine the origins of the credit crisis and why it has become so severe; the policies now being pursued nationally and internationally; and the long-term economic and political implications, particularly in relation to financial regulation and global governance.
The Permaculture Association (Britain) is a small education and research charity that supports individuals and groups to learn more about the theory and practice of permaculture. It is currently advertising two vacancies for a Project Coordinator and Finance Clerk at its Leeds office. Closing date: 27 June 2008. More information can be downloaded from its website
A former PhD student and current employee Nottingham University faces deportation to Algeria on 1 June following his unjust arrest under the Terrorism Act 2000 after he printed an Al Qaeda manual as a favour for a research student. Read on and see the Free Hicham Yezza campaign.
A new book has been published bringing together the diverse stories about many of the UK’s social centres, along with thoughts on their effectiveness, the problems they encounter, and the political ideas they encapsulate. What’s this place? has been written by activists involved in social centres with support from the Autonomous Geographies project.
Undercurrents have released the latest episode of their video series ‘Living in the Future’ about Lammas and many other ecovillage type projects around the world. Living in the Future highlights how people have come together to build their own homes, grow their own food, and create lively and sustainable communities.
Rob Hopkins has recently released his new book “The Transition Handbook”. For an excellent review of this book by Robert Morgan and a video clip from Caroline Lucas MEP about the transition town movement and the new book, visit: transitionculture.org