Forwarded on behalf of Rita Abrahamsen and Mike Williams:
Call for Abstracts
Urban insecurities
Security Dialogue special issue, Volume 40, number 4-5 August 2009
Rita Abrahamsen, Don Hubert & Michael C. Williams, Guest Editors
The 21st century is often heralded as the 'urban century'. For the first
time in history the
majority of the world's population now live in cities, a figure forecast to
rise to over 60% by
2030. Increasing urbanization raises crucial questions for security. At one
end of the spectrum, it
has been claimed that 'the scale of armed violence in large urban areas
frequently exceeds that of
all but the most devastating of current wars', while at the other,
questions of poverty, health, and
human insecurity are presented as finding their starkest manifestations in
urban settings,
particularly in the developing world. Urban warfare is a concern for
militaries, and a key
challenge for contemporary peacekeeping operations and post-conflict
reconstruction, while
analyses and images of urban danger and insecurity -- of divided cities of
'walls' or 'quartz', often
mixed with dire warnings of dystopian futures -- have become increasingly
widespread in political
commentary and popular culture. At the same time, the world's burgeoning
metropolises are
sites of innovative and democratic security practices, and the 'urban
century' heralds not only
rising insecurity but also new and creative possibilities.
Security Dialogue announces a Call for abstracts for innovative articles
dealing with
the horizon of urban insecurities. Articles should be in line with the
journal's
general editorial aim, combining theoretical innovation with relevant
empirical
findings.
Among potential themes are
Aspects of architecture and urban planning
Spatiality, visuality, threat and surveillance
'Policing' the metropolis
Gangs, vigilantes, and new security practices
Urban military and peacekeeping strategies
New developments in legal approaches
Globalisation on the urban plane
Trafficking and new forms of criminality
Small arms transfers
Migration
Deadline for submission of abstracts (300 words): 14 July 2008
All submission should be sent to [log in to unmask]
For more information on Security Dialogue consult:
http://www.prio.no/Research-and-Publications/Security-Dialogue
----------------------
Dr Julie MacLeavy
Lecturer
School of Geographical Sciences
University of Bristol
University Road
Bristol BS8 1SS
Email: [log in to unmask]
Tel: +44 (0)117 928 8901
Fax: +44 (0)117 928 7878
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