Weekly Roundup 111 – 8th to 14th April

FEATURE REPORT/ ARTICLE OF THE WEEK

‘Why Building New Capital Cities Might Not Be Such a Bad Idea, After All’
Authored by Mimi Kirk

We build new capital cities for various reasons… to show political power, to mark the beginning of a new era, to jump-start the economy or perhaps simply to just start all over again. Vadim Rossman, a professor at the Higher School of Economics in St. Petersburg, Russia, suggests that a broader and more historical look at capital city relocation reveals sound reasons for the practice—as well as positive outcomes. In his recent book, ‘Capital Cities: Varieties and Patterns of Development and Relocation’, Rossman explores this interest—as well as how governments can learn from past failures and successes. The article is an interview where he shares some insights into his thinking and research.

Read it here.

Published by CityLab.



ONLINE PUBLICATION OF THE WEEK

‘Urban Perspectives: Climate Change, Migration, Planning and Financing’
Published by Wilson Center

This publication is a compilation of 8 papers that were selected from the 7th year of the “Reducing Urban Poverty” paper competition and includes a range of perspectives on urban challenges and policy solutions. The 2016 competition called for papers linked to one of the following subtopics: Cities and Climate Change; Arrival Cities: Responding to Migrants and Refugees; Innovation in Urban Planning; and, Financing Sustainable Urban Development. A panel of urban reviewed 157 abstract submissions from which 27 student authors were invited to write a full-length paper. 8 out of these 27 papers were selected to be included in this publication. The chapters in this volume critically examine urban policies and projects, offering original, solutions-oriented research and strategies.

Read the publication here.

VIDEO/PODCAST OF THE WEEK

‘How bad is Delhi’s air?’
Created by Guardian Cities

In this video, Guardian Cities tries to find out just how bad the air in Delhi is by monitoring the dangerous PM2.5 particles surrounding Suresh Kumar Sharma, an auto-rickshaw driver in Delhi. In a city where many locals don’t know how unhealthy the air is, a lung test for Suresh after a 12 hour work day throws up a shocker. Watch to find out.