Dear all,
It's probably a good idea that I clarify the assumptions underpinning this research, its methods and intended results. This research in no way works with the assumption that terrorism can be 'designed out'. It in large part seeks to unpack this often cited policy objective, and think in more creative and critical (but always contextual) ways about how society (broadly defined) might organise itself and work proactively to limit attacks and damage caused. Resilient design in this project is also largely about the process and of creating and managing safe and sustainable places and how this often links to concerns for effective security versus what might be deemed acceptable (and to whom). The work is concerned with developing a decision support framework to engage with all stakeholders and importantly the public in issues related to resilience and counter-terrorism - at present such decisions are taken by a very small group of stakeholder (predominantly the Police and security services - with very little input from planners, urban designers or the public). This is a multidisciplinary project - colleagues working on this project come for engineering, geography, planning, political science and disaster management backgrounds. The work is funded by all the main UK research councils (ESRC, EPSRC, AHRC). In the first instance the work is based in the UK. The available posts circulated (like many that appear on the CG list) are aimed at those with particular skills sets (these are detailed in the job particulars) of which many critical geographers (amongst others) would likely have.
For those interested in issues related to resilience (and not just its counter terrorism work) see http://www.ukresilience.info/
**************************************************************
Dr Jon Coaffee
Senior Lecturer in Spatial Planning (Urban Regeneration)
Planning and Landscape Discipline
School of Environment and Development
Faculty of Humanities
Arthur Lewis Building
University of Manchester
Oxford Road
Manchester
M13 9PL
Tel: 0161 2756903
Fax: 0161 2756893
Email: [log in to unmask]
http://www.sed.manchester.ac.uk/planning/staff/coaffee_jon.htm
-----Original Message-----
From: A forum for critical and radical geographers [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Paul Benneworth
Sent: 03 August 2007 14:53
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: FW: Research Vacancies - University of Manchester
Hi there,
You could equally construct a narrative where designing out terrorism strengthens democracy. You could begin by arguing that political terrorism is an attempt to gain political concessions outside the usual political channels, and with declining party political democracy, an increasing number of people will choose to try to get their message across by 'terrorism', not necessarily because they are purposively disempowered by a state in the service of capital, but because they find it easier to do that than to engage with a denatured managerialist political process.
Under such circumstances, if anyone is successful with terrorism, it undermines the political process of democracy. You can avoid this potential by designing out the potential for terrorism for cities, which in turn prevents a descent into the taking of political decisions under the threat of terror (which does not seem to be particularly good for rational and democratic decision-making - I'm even scared to type the name of the offending 2001 American legislation for fear of setting off the TIA computer...)
Let's also remember the people in this, someone trying to offer an opportunity to someone to do a doctorate, a fairly altruistic and not instrumental gesture, I'd say.
Best regards, good weekend
Paul.
-----Original Message-----
From: A forum for critical and radical geographers [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Featherstone, Dave
Sent: 03 August 2007 15:43
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Research Vacancies - University of Manchester
Ok-
but I think the issue is that this research agenda appears top be framed in a way where it appears that terrorism is an issue which can be 'designed' out of cities, and that is what would appear to be the issue not what the results will be.... This kind of perspective has been challenged for a whole range of questions- but is particularly problematic in relation to issues of terrorism where the relational context is so significant... as Pete and Salvatore have suggested....
Dave
________________________________
From: A forum for critical and radical geographers on behalf of D F J Wood
Sent: Fri 03/08/2007 14:31
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Research Vacancies - University of Manchester
Before we all get too carried away, it does not specify what the results of the study should be. I am rather wary of attempts to prescribe certain 'objects' of research through ideology (whether I happen to share that ideology or not). It is perfectly possible to imagine critical methods and critical results from such a study. It's clear that the PI wants critical geogaphers to apply...
David.
>-----Original Message-----
>From: A forum for critical and radical geographers
>[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Salvatore
>Engel-DiMauro
>Sent: 03 August 2007 14:23
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: Research Vacancies - University of Manchester
>
>i concur entirely. this is preposterous. or, what exactly does such a
>post have to do with critical geography? it seems counterintuitive to
>me.
>
>saed
>
>North, Peter wrote:
>>
>> How about starting with not trying to dominate the middle east to
>> secure the world's diminishing oil stocks?
>>
>> Peter North
>> Department of Geography
>> University of Liverpool
>>
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: A forum for critical and radical geographers on behalf of Jon
>> Coaffee
>> Sent: Fri 03/08/2007 08:27
>> To: [log in to unmask]
>> Subject: Research Vacancies - University of Manchester
>>
>> Apologies for cross postings
>>
>> Research Associates (two posts)
>> Resilient Planning, Design and Management for Countering
>Terrorism in
>> Public Places - Centre for Urban Policy Studies School of
>Environment
>> and Development The University of Manchester
>> http://www.jobs.ac.uk/jobfiles/ZG027.html
>>
>>
>> Closing date: 28/08/2007 Salary - £26,666 - £30,012 p.a.
>>
>> The School of Environment and Development is seeking to appoint two
>> Research Associates to work with the Centre for Urban Policy Studies
>> (CUPS), tenable from October 2007 for 24 months in the first
>instance.
>> You will contribute to research connected to an EPSRC funded project
>> focusing on Resilient Design (RE-DESIGN) for counter-terrorism:
>> Decision support for designing effective and acceptable
>resilient places.
>>
>> You will liaise with the Re-Design team to help develop a unique
>> multi- disciplinary research framework for countering terrorism in
>> crowded public places.
>>
>> You will have a PhD (or at least submitted by contract start) in a
>> cognate discipline such as urban planning, human geography,
>political
>> science, international relations, urban sociology, architecture; and
>> experience of conducting qualitative case study based
>research to a high standard.
>>
>>
>>
>> Informal enquiries
>> Dr Jon Coaffee
>> Tel: 0161 275 6903
>> Email: [log in to unmask]
>>
>>
>>
>
>--
>Salvatore Engel-Di Mauro
>Department of Geography, SUNY New Paltz
>1 Hawk Drive, New Paltz, NY 12561
>tel: 1/845/2572991, fax: 1/845/2572992
>e-mail: [log in to unmask]
>
>Senior Editor
>Capitalism Nature Socialism: A Journal of Ecosocialism
>
>Editor
>ACME: An international e-journal for critical geographies
>http://www.acme-journal.org/
>
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