Since about 1984 I have been interested in the Columbus myth. I think I was one of the last generations who learned what I call the ‘Columbus two-step:’ Step #1: Columbus-as-hero. You know the rhyme: “In 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue…,” discovered America and disproved the flat-earth myth. Thanks to him, here we are: […]
Columbus, discovery, and property rights Read More »
Ananya Roy introduced me to Benjamin’s work in 2008, through Susan Buck-Morss’ The dialectics of seeing (1989). I found the book maddeningly opaque, the first time I read it. Part of my challenge is that I come from a technical background embedded very much within the myths, ideologies, and assumptions of modernity. But after writing
Modernity, transparency, and reflection Read More »
Yesterday I returned from the Association of American Geographers conference in NYC, and walked through a remarkable exhibit in the San Francisco Airport on animated dolls. SFO is actually certified as a museum, and the general quality of the exhibits is excellent. This exhibit provoked me to think again about the modern world, through the
Yay! I got by the Polis urban blog. It is a nice interview. Please read! Thanks to Hector Fernando Burga.
Interviewed by POLIS Read More »
Anyone who has gone to church, synagogue, mosque, or any regularly-scheduled meeting over the last twenty years has encountered the irritating interruption of cell-phone ringing. Yesterday such an embarrassing event disrupted the NY Philharmonic’s performance at the Lincoln Center. It occurred to me several years ago that most of these appalling interruptions are entirely preventable.
Appeal for “Sheduled Ring” on mobiles Read More »
One of the core challenges of urban planning is to sift through complex, entangled social-political-economic-environmental-political problems to find policies that are feasible and really helpful. One of those policies is the promotion of good sidewalks: no trip-hazards, no projecting hardware or branches, wide enough for two people to pass each other, and connected with curb
In praise of sidewalks Read More »
Michael asks, ?I’d love to understand more about how the average citizen such as myself can be part of the planning in my community. Planning affects just about everyone, and I feel that if I had more of a clue about what it is, and how those of us who are most impacted by the
What is urban planning? A pragmatic answer Read More »
09 Novem ber 2007 / 18 Aqrab 1386 Last spring I pointed out that Kabul now has an address system in the form of Google Earth coordinates. On Wednesday I saw a presentation of USAID’s Land Titling and Economic Reform Assistance (LTERA) project of assigning addresses on streets. They way they do flexible, universal addressing
Proposed post-codes for Kabul Read More »
08 November 2007 / 17 Aqrab 1386 Writing the essay on October 19, and then presenting and discussing the paper yesterday has clarified a few things for me. It seems that the Third-World War is underway. Simply put, it is a struggle by the elite against social justice, a struggle to assert extraordinary impunity. However
The Third World War Read More »
Presented at the Center for Policy and Human Development, Kabul University, 07 November 2007 Some Background Thank you doctor Wardak for giving me the chance to explore the idea of urbanization and human development in Kabul. First I need to explain my overall situation and my specific purpose here today. I am a doctoral student
Urbanization and Human Development in Kabul Read More »