By Lisa Berglund In popular discourse, the city of Detroit’s reputation is one of lawless frontier, destituteness and above all, exceptionalism. Countless news stories have painted Detroit as a place of poverty, violence and crime, with much emphasis placed on the city’s 2013 bankruptcy and mass water shut offs that have called for the UN’s involvement as a human rights … [Read more...] about REVIEW OF: “A PEOPLE’S ATLAS OF DETROIT” BY LINDA CAMPBELL, ANDREW NEWMAN, SARA SAFRANSKY, AND TIM STALLMANN
DISPOSSESSED AND DISPENSABLE – A VISUAL REFLECTION ON COVID-19 AND THE SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH
By Manal Massalha In these uncertain, worrying times of aggressive, intrusive pandemic, practices such as maintaining basic hygiene, social distancing, self-isolation, and working from home, are rendered indispensable to slowing the spread of the virus and keeping ourselves and others safe. While for some, adhering to rules provides an opportunity to unwind, reflect, read, … [Read more...] about DISPOSSESSED AND DISPENSABLE – A VISUAL REFLECTION ON COVID-19 AND THE SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH
A SLOW BURN: A REVIEW OF THE HOTTEST AUGUST
By Kelly Anderson In 1960, the French ethnographic filmmaker Jean Rouch and sociologist Edgar Morin roamed the streets of Paris, asking citizens “How do you live?” and “Are you happy?” Their experiment, which became the classic cinema vérité documentary Chronique d’un Eté (Chronicle of a Summer), revealed a society deeply anxious about the future, its inhabitants … [Read more...] about A SLOW BURN: A REVIEW OF THE HOTTEST AUGUST
FRANCES GOLDIN, PRESENTE!
By Tom Angotti One of the most enduring lessons I learned about planning was from an activist in New York City’s Lower East Side, Frances Goldin. She led the successful struggle to stop the urban renewal bulldozer from destroying the neighborhood she loved, helped put together an alternative community plan, and worked for five decades to implement the plan. Frances … [Read more...] about FRANCES GOLDIN, PRESENTE!
VIEWS OF THE NAKED CITY: PICTURES FROM THE DAILY ROUND IN A CITY OF EMPTYING STREETS
By Stefan Kipfer In the middle of March, I started to post short photo essays on my social media feed. These snapshots were inspired by daily walks and bicycle excursions in Toronto as well as news from around the world about the spread of COVID-19. The multiple crises that come together in the current pandemic harbour great dangers, including rampant Social Darwinism and … [Read more...] about VIEWS OF THE NAKED CITY: PICTURES FROM THE DAILY ROUND IN A CITY OF EMPTYING STREETS