In her talk, “Humanitarian urbanism- Thinking of crises transnationally,” Dr Romola Sanyal delves into three central themes: Thinking across regions, thinking across scales, and the power of speaking. Bridging South Asia and the Middle East, she explores power, justice, and the global influence of crises and humanitarian efforts. Dr Sanyal also probes power dynamics in data collection and research roles, both in the Global North and South. Join us for a deep exploration of humanitarian urbanism’s multifaceted dimensions.
This event will take place on Monday, 2 October 2023, at 6 pm (Amman) time, 4 pm in the UK, at CBRL Amman Institute (6 Al-Baouneyah Street, Qaiwar Complex, Jabal Al-Lweibdeh, Amman, 11191 Jordan. ), and will also be available online via Zoom. To register, please click here.
The event will also be made available on CBRL’s YouTube channel.
About the speakers
Dr Romola Sanyal is an Associate Professor of Urban Geography at LSE. She joined the Department of Geography and Environment in 2013 after previous lectureships at Newcastle University and University College London. Additionally, she served as the inaugural Postdoctoral Fellow at Rice University’s Chao Centre for Asian Studies and was a Visiting Fellow at the Open University. Her academic journey includes a PhD in Architecture from the University of California, Berkeley, an MSc in Geography from LSE, and a BA in City and Regional Planning from the University of California, Berkeley.
Dr Sanyal’s research focuses on the intersection of forced migration and urbanization. One aspect delves into how refugees and forced migrants shape urban environments as ‘city makers,’ examining this phenomenon in India and Lebanon. Her work underscores how building becomes a political act challenging efforts to marginalize refugees. Another facet of her research explores the geopolitics of humanitarian knowledge production, particularly in urban refugee contexts.
The session will be moderated by Ali Fawaz.
Ali Fawaz is a professional researcher with expertise in translation, a Master’s degree in social work/migration, and a passion for education and research, currently working on the “Data Justice for Refugees” research project at IIED.
Overall Project:
This presentation is one in a series of seminars organized as part of a comprehensive multi-phase initiative led by the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) and funded by Open Society Foundation (OSF). The project, in collaboration with the Information and Research Centre at the King Hussein Foundation (IRC-KHF), is titled “Data Justice for Refugees.” This project draws on insights and knowledge gained from diverse settings and applies them to support the collaborative efforts of refugees in the MENA region, initially starting in Jordan. The primary objective is to empower refugees by facilitating the establishment of an information-driven economy, which is built by and for refugees themselves and directly aligns with their advocacy objectives.
IIED is a company limited by a guarantee and incorporated in England. Reg. No 2188452. Registered office: 3rd Floor, 235 High Holborn, Holborn, London WC1V 7DN, UK. VAT Reg. No. GB 440 4948 50. Charity No. 800066. OSCR No 039864. IIED is recognised as an international organisation by the OECD Development Assistance Committee.