A key aspect missing in the planning or sociology literature about the Gulf is the absence of the backlane as a typological entity in urban space. The backlanes of the cities have unique sub cultures with informal spaces not listed on Zomato. I found plenty of eating places run by various communities which are lifelines, … More Writing the Gulf.
In cities like Dubai and Singapore, Malls are more than retail consumption spaces/ they are extended home spaces or community hang out nodes where it is cool, safe and family friendly. Artificial yet organic, contradictions galore. Malls are extensions of the community or rather is an anchor of the community in the GCC. The commentator … More Mall Spaces as Community in GCC
The financialisation and securitisation of the climate change discourse is the best thing to have happened. People take climate change more seriously. Lifestyle Environmentalism is incremental in nature. Climate Change Resilience is implemented through technology, finance and buy in from communities. And green politics also helps. We need more than tree hugging to save lives … More Practical Climate Resilience Building; Some Thoughts Beyond Adaptation
Environmentalists, in the corporate, consulting, civil society, research, regulatory and academic spaces need to understand that scientific data is a social construction. There are many parties in the production of the data on which policy, planning and implementation decisions are taken. The political economy of the environment, with its multiple manifestations in climate change are … More The Political Economy of Environmental Data
Article 15 is a master class handling a sensitive topic such as entrenched caste discrimination in Northern India. It takes a saviour lens to the topic with a Stephenian Delhi Boy Character taking on caste based power hierarchies in delivering justice to disenfranchised members of subaltern community In Uttar Pradesh. The film has amazing documentary … More Article 15; A Movie Review
Masjids in the Urban life of the Gulf are cornerstones of the spatial configuration of the city. Faith is public and private, an anchor in transient lives.
If we are stuck in the present How will the future emerge? Through the sliding of time Or the imagination of of the soul? Creatures of the EMI When will the ‘I’ emerge On the Saturday night Over the ‘Quarter’ and Chakhna Or the possibilities of a Sunday morning after Church? The heart should answer … More Possibilities.
Migration Governance is back on the research agenda as refugee theatres in Africa, Maghreb, Mediterranean and South East Asia are simmering if not raging. The multilateral institutional activity with IOM, UN, WHO and the Marakkesh Declaration is encouraging with increased focus. The migration trends in the Khaleej are changing with African low wage workers from … More Migration Research’s Blind Spot- Good Samaritan’s as Last Mile Healthcare Delivery Provision
Sometimes chaos is the chaiyos we need, for the next practice to come in to being The present is inadequate As the minds framing it Are made up off the expected
