http://housingstruggles.wordpress.com/2009/01/09/mike-davis-the-new-ecology-of-war/

Eurozine, 7 January 2009
The new ecology of war

An interview with Mike Davis by Mattias Hagberg

“Global epidemics and global terrorism are two problems that principally emanated from the slums. When one talks about ‘failed states’ one often means ‘failed cities’, such as Gaza, Sadr City or the slums of Port-au-Prince.” Urban theorist Mike Davis talks in interview about the evolution of the neoliberal city.

The Struggle for the City

Curse of the Black Gold, with pictures by Ed Kashi and text chosen by Michael Watts is now online at: http://www.powerhousebooks.com/blackgold.pdf

It is essential reading, showing clearly the price that some people pay for others to live glamorous cosmopolitan lives in New York and London. Ed Kashi’s introduction is below.

Ed Kashi

Shadows and Light in the Niger Delta

Iraq led me to the Niger Delta. Actually, it was my work in Iraq that brought me to the attention of Michael Watts, a Berkeley-based scholar. For over thirty years, Michael has studied issues of oil and conflict, especially in regards to the Niger Delta. With Michael’s guidance, on my first trip to Nigeria in July 2004, my eyes and heart were opened and my anger and disgust were ignited. To tell this difficult, but profoundly important, geopolitical story in a visual way became an obsession.

http://housingstruggles.wordpress.com

Delhi Solidarity Group, 26 April 2008

CALL TO JOIN NATIONAL LEVEL ACTION

Join hands to raise our collective voice against Displacement & Un-Democratic, Unjust, Anti-People & Pro-Corporate Land Acquisition (Amendment) Act, 2007 and Resettlement and Rehabilitation Bill, 2007

Join Dharna at Jantar Mantar, Delhi 28th to 30 April, 2008

Dear Friends,

Today, as the State continues with the mad frenzy in the name of ‘development’ and ‘economic growth’, rural and urban poor face displacement and dispossession at an unprecedented scale. Not a day passes by when newspapers or channels in India does not have a story on yet another land acquisition, another resistance against corporate land grab or police atrocities on peaceful demonstrators. The government seems to have abdicated all responsibilities, even the pretence, of a “Welfare State”. It is now nothing more than a puppet of industrialists and capitalists, snatching all natural resources away from the people. On the other hand, for the multitudes-Dalits, Adivasis, agricultural workers, farmers, fish workers, artisans, forest dwellers- who have been facing the harsh reality of displacement and complete dispossession for years, there doesn’t seem to be even the hope of rehabilitation now. But be it in Nandigram or Jagatisinghpur, be it against uprooting people in the name of SEZs, mining or big dams or against the ‘illegalisation’ of urban poor, our country reverberates with voices of protest and struggle like never before. People are resisting the snatching away of the means of their lives and livelihood. They are resisting the theft and transfer of natural and common property resources into private hands for private profit. They are resisting the gross undermining of democracy and social justice that goes on in the name of development