Cities of Tomorrow...

Was scrolling through the recent TED - 2007 Conference blog - a must see for those of you interested in the intersection of technology and social issues - and noticed an amazing collection of videos, TEDtalks. The work of journalist Robert Neuwirth immediately caught my attention.

From Robert Neuwirth's blog - SquatterCity

I'm a writer who spent two years living in squatter communities in four continents. These neighborhoods--which dominate most of the cities of the developing world--are vibrant and energetic, but horribly misunderstood. My new book, Shadow Cities, is an attempt to humanize these maligned settlements. My articles on cities, politics, and economic issues have appeared in many publications, including The Nation, The Village Voice, Newsday, The New York Times, Metropolis, and City Limits. Before becoming a reporter, I worked as a community organizer and studied philosophy. I live in New York City.

Shadow Cities: A Billion Squatters, A Urban New World - (2006) is Neuwirth's book. Scroll down through the Long Now Foundation archives and you'll see Robert's work featured in a longer presentation, The 21st Century Medieval City - as video, mp3 and discussion.

Very much like Robert's use of the terms legal vs. illegal systems that are used to describe the reality of urban life. These descriptions resonate in many ways over here on the City's East side - on the "urban prairie."

Just noticed that previous TEDtalks are archived here - Ideas Worth Spreading - on YouTube.

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