The event places itself in the wake of the 2008 explosion of the current economic crisis, when more and more people are actively fighting to restore what they've lost. Not since the 1960s have so many people across the globe taken to the streets to demand a more just and democratic society, access to housing, health care, education, food, jobs, a clean and safe environment and lives free from police violence. Most of these uprisings are rooted in the urban landscape. Many of their demands imply a major transformation in the way cities work.
From the "Arab Spring" to the vigorous demonstrations of the "Occupy Wall Street" movement, and more, the first day of the symposium will address the lessons from around the world on how do we understand social change in this current moment. The day focuses on the history of urban uprisings as well as the current militarization of urban space, and concludes with a discussion of organizing on a city-wide level. Building on the previous day's discussion, the second day will address the need to create a transformative vision for organizing in New York City. With participation from community organizations across the city, the symposium will aim to explore a holistic vision for the city, assess community work currently being done, begin a conversation on the role of transformative demands and alternative institutions in realizing this vision. The second day of the symposium will facilitate the connections of issues and organizations in order to encourage movement building.
Registration can be done in the symposium's website, which also suggests a range of readings in preparation for the sessions.
30 November, 1 December
Urban Uprising! Re-imagining the city
CUNY Graduate Center, the New School
New York