Panel - Call for Papers: Urban Transformation & Human Rights in the City

International Conference on

Mega-Urbanisation and Human Rights:

Emerging Challenges and Opportunities

Commission on Urban Anthropology and Commission on Human Rights, International Union of Anthropological & Ethnological Sciences; in collaboration with West Bengal StateUniversity

CALL FOR PAPERS

Session Convenors:   

Senem ZEYBEKOĞLU SADRI (Assist. Prof. Dr. The American University – Girne CYPRUS)

Hossein SADRI (Sen. Lect. Dr. The American University – Girne CYPRUS)

Title of Session:

URBAN TRANSFORMATION & HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE CITY

Within the last thirty years, world cities have been confronting massive transformations under the impacts of neo-liberal economy policies. There is a strong competition between cities to attract global capital, which leads to urban restructuring of cities around the world. This competition is manifested in urban transformation programmes, which require privatization of vast urban areas and construction of glamorous projects for business, tourism, consumption and luxury living. Catering an upscale portion of the society, these urban transformations generally tend to ignore poorer populations within the city and result in evictions, devastation of natural resources, loss of jobs, social security, education opportunities and last but not least, loss of social networks of people. The more urban areas are subject to the demands of trans-national flows of capital, investment and people, the more they become places of inequality and polarization.  

Growing conditions of inequality are paralleled by violations of human rights in the city. As people are forced to leave their homes due to urban transformation and development programs, their basic rights including right to housing, employment, education, healthy environment, recreation, privacy of family life, participation in political processes, etc. are being violated. These rights are basic human rights, which are clearly defined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and states are responsible for protection and fulfilment of these rights.

With these concerns in mind, this session aims to discuss the relationship between urban transformation programs and human rights in the city through raising several questions:

·  Urban transformation programs, how do they impact the lives of inhabitants of cities?

·  What are the sources of inequality, exclusion and human rights violations in cities?

·  What are the human rights issues in cities, how can they be achieved?

·  What are the changing roles of local governments, what are their duties and responsibilities?

·  What is the condition of vulnerable and disadvantaged groups in cities (minorities, people living in poor conditions, people with disabilities, immigrants, women, children and elderly people, etc.). Are there ways to empower these groups?

Deadline for Abstract Submission: 31th of October 2010

Please send your abstracts to senemzeybek@yahoo.com and hosadri@yahoo.com