Research team: Urban green is now online!

The ones with the green finger can be followed at:
http://urbangreenresearch.blogspot.com/
t.

Research team-Ethnic segregation and participation of immigrants is now online!

Hi

Yesterday's lecture was tricky! 8:45 on Monday morning and there I'm talking about location theories, taking the risk of looking straight into a lot of sleepy eyes..but you did well actually. OK there were a sleeping head or two here and there but overall I was surprised with the attention. I guess moving from Christaller's hexagons to Taylor's GaWC world woke most of you up as well. From this point on lectures will be less theoretical and more practical and yes you will steer a lot of things as well. We'll start with sessions in your own research fields as soon as I'm back from New York :)) Meanwhile I hope you will progress with your research plans when I enjoy my congress. You can follow what is going on at AAG from aag.org. Have a look at it and see the variety of sessions and topics we're dealing with (and follow my session too, it'll be on Neoliberal planning, crisis, contestations and alternatives!).

Last but not least the research team ethnic segregation and participation is now online too. They will focus on the participation of immigrants in urban development. Follow them at http://urbaingeography.wordpress.com/

Start spreading the news
I am leaving today
I want to be part of it
New York, New York...

See you 1st of March!
Best

Dr. Tuna Tasan-Kok

Research team-Urban revitalisation is now online!

This is the 5th research team and they are going to study inner city revitalisaton mainly around railway stations in Antwerp and Rotterdam. Follow their work at:

http://urbangeography2012.blogspot.com/

Currently all the research teams were asked to conduct pilot studies in Middelburg, so you can find the results of these also in the individual blogs.

Have a good weekend!
Dr. Tuna Tasan-Kok

Research team-Gentrification of urban spaces is now online!

Hi


We're progressing I guess. And I'm happy that mini Middelburg studies went fine and you were all very enthusiastic. Please note that another research team, gentrification, has just got online: http://www.ssc244gentrification.blogspot.com/

I tried to focus today's lecture on the general dynamics of globalization and we ended up laughing our heads off on a small video on perception of multiculturality in Antwerp. This fun video shows manipulated opinions of people on the street (funny to even recognise one of them, who is a street singer!) on immigrants. The picture presented there is exaggregated and not showing the reality of course (but may be hinting issues in a kind of funny way?).

Antwerpenaars are known with their tolerance and flexibility towards immigrants and other ethnic groups. Yes, we have our issues and if you read newspapers you see the tensions between different groups is growing sometimes. Yet, being an immigrant myself, my personal experience has different. When I walk along the Driekoningenstraat on which African churches, Polish shops, Maroccan bakeries and Turkish koffie-houses stand next to each other or hang around in the Stadspark on Saturday after Sabbath to see Jewish people with their children in one corner and Indian guys playing cricket in the other I simply feel HAPPY and think that this can work! OK, I accept, this is a rather 'romantic' and limited view on the urban diversity as we have lots of issues within the immigrant community and between different groups but don't you think, if you are from Antwerp, that there is something relaxed in the air? I do!

Weekend is approaching, hope you will have time to enjoy your little city Middelburg...I will definitely enjoy mine!

See you on Monday!

Dr. Tuna Tasan-Kok

Research team-Social and Ethnic Segregation Team's blog now online!

Hi

Last night we've watched The Architect as the first film in the Urban Film Series. I'm planning these events once a month to put an urban issue on the table and discuss afterwards. The taste in films may differ but as long as the message is clear we can appreciate the show. The Architect (2006) is presented as an 'urban drama' in which complex issues of racial segregation and socio-spatial conflict are presented with a story of an architect who designed a social housing project, which is located in the middle of a problematic black neighborhood in Chicago. Most probably the area was already problematic before the project's implementation but obviously the drug, crime and other issues in the area increased with the gangs moving into the apartments and dominating the social environment. To me it is a story that shows not only how urban designers may fail in creating spaces that trigger better social environments but also that they may be reluctant to understand space with all its dimensions. Another important point for us in the movie is to see the complexity of urban activism and participation. There are many other points to be covered but I'd like to discuss the term 'socio-spatial segregation' on Thursday's class.

Quite relevant to the movie, happy to announce that the research team Social and Ethnic Segregation has now activated their blog at:

http://ssc224urbangeography.blogspot.com/

See you on Thursday

Best wishes,
Tuna

Research team-Wealth creation by urban regeneration gets online!

SSC 244 research team (Property-led wealth creation by urban regeneration projects) has launched their blog today. Visit them and follow their research activities at:

http://www.ssc244wealthcreation.blogspot.com/

Their research will focus on the regeneration of two selected neighbourhoods in Antwerp and Rotterdam. In Antwerp, they are going to study the Het 'Eilandje area and in Rotterdam Kop van Zuid area. Both have been going through social, economic and spatial transformations. Read more in their own blog!

There will be 5 more blogs of the students who conduct in different fields posted and linked to my blog soon.

Thursday we'll begin to understand the urbanization dynamics of Antwerp!

Looking forward

Dr. Tuna Tasan-Kok

Hi

We're entering the 3rd week of lecturing. Tomorrow we'll have our traditional Monday early bird session and talk about Urbanization dynamics of pre-industrial, industrial and post-industrial cities. We'll talk about general urbanization processes and end the lecture with team discussions on the progress of your research plans. See you tomorrow! Tuna