Thursday, May 7, 2015
Jan 2008 - CLIMATE CHANGE AND URBANIZATION: EFFECTS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR URBAN GOVERNANCE*
http://www.un.org/esa/population/meetings/EGM_PopDist/P16_Satterthwaite.pdf
UNITED NATIONS EXPERT GROUP MEETING ON POPULATION DISTRIBUTION,
URBANIZATION, INTERNAL MIGRATION AND DEVELOPMENT
Population Division
Department of Economic and Social Affairs
United Nations Secretariat New York, 21-23 January 2008
Population Division
Department of Economic and Social Affairs
United Nations Secretariat New York, 21-23 January 2008
2008 - Cities at Risk from Rising Sea Levels
http://www.rrojasdatabank.info/statewc08093.3.pdf
Great governmental report on Dhaka's desperate future
Great governmental report on Dhaka's desperate future
Tuesday, February 17, 2015
Aug 2009 - UNHCR: Climate change, natural disasters and human displacement
“Although there is a growing awareness of the perils of climate change, its likely impact on human displacement and mobility has received too little attention.”2 António Guterres, UN High Commissioner for Refugees
This journal piece from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) directly addresses the concerns climate change creates for organizations attempting to support refugees. Although my personal interest is in managing forced global population migration due to the causes of climate change induced sea-level rise, this journal notice from 2009 includes worthwhile information on the topics of (1) refugees, (2) climate change, (3) and their interrelated issues. There is special attention paid to the effects of droughts and floods on refugee camps which incredibly compelling, informative, disconcerting, and hopefully thought-provoking for solutions.
This journal piece from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) directly addresses the concerns climate change creates for organizations attempting to support refugees. Although my personal interest is in managing forced global population migration due to the causes of climate change induced sea-level rise, this journal notice from 2009 includes worthwhile information on the topics of (1) refugees, (2) climate change, (3) and their interrelated issues. There is special attention paid to the effects of droughts and floods on refugee camps which incredibly compelling, informative, disconcerting, and hopefully thought-provoking for solutions.
Monday, February 9, 2015
Dec 2000 - Disaster Research Institute, U of M: Globalization, Environmental Crisis & Social Change...
Project Outline Part 3: Environmental Degradation and Population Displacement
This piece is one part of a multi-pronged project by the Disaster Research Institute on Globalization, Environmental Crisis, and Social Change in Bangladesh. As this blog is directly about all of those topics and that specific locality, this was a wondrous find. The website includes the deconstruction of the term refugee, while relating that to wage labor and climate change. Moreso, the fifteen-year-old information is still compelling and relevant, though the world of climate change research has been rapidly advancing within the last five years.
This piece is one part of a multi-pronged project by the Disaster Research Institute on Globalization, Environmental Crisis, and Social Change in Bangladesh. As this blog is directly about all of those topics and that specific locality, this was a wondrous find. The website includes the deconstruction of the term refugee, while relating that to wage labor and climate change. Moreso, the fifteen-year-old information is still compelling and relevant, though the world of climate change research has been rapidly advancing within the last five years.
July 2007 - Bangladesh Sociology Journal: Impact of Cultural Globalization...on Dhaka City
"...The common characteristic of the globalized culture is that it pursues the same “one size fits all” idea: the archetypical middle class family according to the American model in which consumerism is the norm. The result of this cultural process of homogenization is that a large section of the world's population dreams of living like Cosby & Co or like the characters in any other stereotype American soap opera. Traditional values have been overtaken by Coca Cola culture. The Michael Jackson style of music and culture is taking over and we don't have the values to cope with it...."
- Dilara Zahid
This journal article is interesting because it highlights the effects of globalization on upper class youth culture within Dhaka. The vast expanse of scholarly research into the deconstruction of globalization on locales within the Global South - or on the Global South as a whole - tends to focus on the populations that are the most vulnerable: the most impoverished, the displaced, extreme low-wage workers, sweatshop employees, abandoned/trafficked or forcibly employed children, sex workers, etc. This was the first opportunity I have had to read about the effects of globalization on the moderate to relatively wealthy. Although the findings were interesting (the piece read more subjectively than objectively - there was definitely a sense of personal outrage from the author), this journal piece seemed to be more of an indictment of the effects of capitalism as a whole on the subjects (upper class youth in Dhaka) rather than one of the offshoots (or consequences (or benefits, according to some,) of capitalism: globalization. I especially appreciated the concept of the "Coca Cola" culture. I think this is an accurately encapsulating assessment of the effect of capitalist industrialization on the Global North, at the very least, on the United States, specifically.
- Dilara Zahid
This journal article is interesting because it highlights the effects of globalization on upper class youth culture within Dhaka. The vast expanse of scholarly research into the deconstruction of globalization on locales within the Global South - or on the Global South as a whole - tends to focus on the populations that are the most vulnerable: the most impoverished, the displaced, extreme low-wage workers, sweatshop employees, abandoned/trafficked or forcibly employed children, sex workers, etc. This was the first opportunity I have had to read about the effects of globalization on the moderate to relatively wealthy. Although the findings were interesting (the piece read more subjectively than objectively - there was definitely a sense of personal outrage from the author), this journal piece seemed to be more of an indictment of the effects of capitalism as a whole on the subjects (upper class youth in Dhaka) rather than one of the offshoots (or consequences (or benefits, according to some,) of capitalism: globalization. I especially appreciated the concept of the "Coca Cola" culture. I think this is an accurately encapsulating assessment of the effect of capitalist industrialization on the Global North, at the very least, on the United States, specifically.
Friday, January 30, 2015
Feb 16, 2013 - thestar.com: Climate change forcing thousands in Bangladesh into slums of Dhaka
Climate change refugees struggle to survive in slums of Dhaka. The city faces a population explosion, with inadequate infrastructure.
As my long-term personal and professional interests are in the field of mitigating climate change induced sea-level rise, specifically as it relates to forced population migration (refugees), this article was especially topical. However, the purposes of this blog are to connect those issues to globalization. Although this piece from 2013 does not directly highlight the intersection of climate change refugees and globalization, it is easy to infer their interrelation from this article. The "glocal" concept is timely in that most of the consequences of climate change (specifically, sea-level rise) that are negatively impacting the lives of previously coastal dwelling Bangladeshis are a direct result of GreenHouse Gas (GHG) emissions from industrialization from countries in the Global North - and now parts of the Global South, as well. With the socio-political-economic fallout from the neoliberalist philosophies of capitalism's offshoot system, globalization, industrialization (and GHG emissions) moved to areas within the Global South in a race to the bottom for worker's wages and to the top for shareholder's portfolios. This expansion of GHG emissions spurred - and continues to spur - global warming, which has caused (is causing) undeterrable global climate change, which, in turn, is causing sea-level rise that displaces coastal dwelling Bangladeshis to the megacity of Dhaka. Add in the limitations or plain stagnancy of local governance within a city of that size with so little resources, the suffering of refugees are compounded.
As my long-term personal and professional interests are in the field of mitigating climate change induced sea-level rise, specifically as it relates to forced population migration (refugees), this article was especially topical. However, the purposes of this blog are to connect those issues to globalization. Although this piece from 2013 does not directly highlight the intersection of climate change refugees and globalization, it is easy to infer their interrelation from this article. The "glocal" concept is timely in that most of the consequences of climate change (specifically, sea-level rise) that are negatively impacting the lives of previously coastal dwelling Bangladeshis are a direct result of GreenHouse Gas (GHG) emissions from industrialization from countries in the Global North - and now parts of the Global South, as well. With the socio-political-economic fallout from the neoliberalist philosophies of capitalism's offshoot system, globalization, industrialization (and GHG emissions) moved to areas within the Global South in a race to the bottom for worker's wages and to the top for shareholder's portfolios. This expansion of GHG emissions spurred - and continues to spur - global warming, which has caused (is causing) undeterrable global climate change, which, in turn, is causing sea-level rise that displaces coastal dwelling Bangladeshis to the megacity of Dhaka. Add in the limitations or plain stagnancy of local governance within a city of that size with so little resources, the suffering of refugees are compounded.
Sep 8, 2010 - globalpost.com: Dhaka, Fastest Growing Megacity in the World
Part one of "A five-part, multimedia series on the coming dystopia that is urbanization."
This five part series on urbanization in Dhaka speaks to the horror of overpopulation. Yet, this part is the least accurate characterization of urbanization and it's causes of the entire series. There are very reductive and dismissive phrases that undermines the drive individuals and families have to migrate from one desperate situation to another, while constantly being on the fringe of society. The third part (?) called "Disasters Drive Mass Migration to Dhaka" better matches the causes of overurbanization within Dhaka to the effects of the process, as highlighted within part one. However, beyond Global North induced climate change and the resulting sea-level rise, is a lack of local and national governance to blame for Dhaka's suffering citizenry?
This five part series on urbanization in Dhaka speaks to the horror of overpopulation. Yet, this part is the least accurate characterization of urbanization and it's causes of the entire series. There are very reductive and dismissive phrases that undermines the drive individuals and families have to migrate from one desperate situation to another, while constantly being on the fringe of society. The third part (?) called "Disasters Drive Mass Migration to Dhaka" better matches the causes of overurbanization within Dhaka to the effects of the process, as highlighted within part one. However, beyond Global North induced climate change and the resulting sea-level rise, is a lack of local and national governance to blame for Dhaka's suffering citizenry?
An Amazing Resource for the Global South, in Dhaka - ICCCAD
The International Centre for Climate Change and Development
The International Centre for Climate Change and Development (ICCCAD) in Dhaka is a think tank attempting to research and raise awareness around (1) climate change, (2) mitigation of it's impending (and already happening) effects, and (3) provide adaptation solutions for Bangladesh and the globe. The institute is a valuable resource. The embedded video is from a talk Dr. Saleemul Huq (the Director of ICCCAD, speaking from his personal - not professional - perspective) gave in June 2014 at the Bonn conference about calling out polluters for what they are: climate criminals.
The International Centre for Climate Change and Development (ICCCAD) in Dhaka is a think tank attempting to research and raise awareness around (1) climate change, (2) mitigation of it's impending (and already happening) effects, and (3) provide adaptation solutions for Bangladesh and the globe. The institute is a valuable resource. The embedded video is from a talk Dr. Saleemul Huq (the Director of ICCCAD, speaking from his personal - not professional - perspective) gave in June 2014 at the Bonn conference about calling out polluters for what they are: climate criminals.
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