Urban Resilience in Situations of Chronic Violence (URCV)

Researchers:

Robert Muggah

Oliver Jütersonke

The world's population is growing at an explosive rate. Much of this growth is taking place in urban settings, especially lower- and medium-income cities. By some estimates, cities and their peripheries in at least 50 so-called fragile countries are systematically affected by situations of chronic violence.
And yet individual cities respond in different ways to urban violence. Put another way, there are varying patterns and degrees of "resilience." The Urban Resilience in Situations of Chronic Violence (URCV) project considers precisely how formal and informal institutions and actors in cities cope with violence. It asks how basic services are provided, adapt, or disappear in contexts of chronic collective and inter-personal violence.

Principle URCV partners include the CCDP, MIT (IDG), and the University of Utrecht (CTR). With a wide network of collaborators, the project aims to provide a greater knowledge base on the dynamics of urban resilience in situations of violence and insecurity with a view of assisting policy makers, urban planners and practitioners think about how best to assist. Field-based research is planned or ongoing in Beirut (Lebanon), Dili (Timor-Leste), Kigali (Rwanda), Jos (Nigeria), Medellin (Colombia), Mexico city (Mexico), Port-au-Prince (Haiti), Rio de Janeiro (Brazil),and elsewhere. Additional case studies will be added as the project progresses. For more information, visit the website of the URCV

NEWS!

In October 2010, MIT received a grant for the URCV project. Over 24 months, research will be undertaken in Johannesburg, Karachi, Kigali, Managua, Medellin, Mexico City, Nairobi and Sao Paolo. 

Events organized in the framework of the project

Lectures on Urbanization and Urban Violence at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy by Oliver Jutersonke and Robert Muggah in April and June 2011

Lecture on Urban Violence at Médecins Sans Frontières in May 2011 by Robert Muggah. Click here to access the powerpoint presentation.

Robert Muggah will chair a panel at the World Conference on Humanitarian Studies at Tufts University on June 4th; "Humanitarian Action in Situations of Urban Violence". Click here for more information.

Selected Publications by URCV Partners

Media

• Muggah, R. (4 January 2011) “A guerra no Rio: estratégias para estabilidade e desenvolvimento”
• Szabo, R. (29 December 2010) “O que o Rio pode aprender com as zonas de guerra no mundo”
• Parente, R. (17 December 2010) “Educação para a prevenção da violência” 
• Lessing, B. (16 December 2010) “Estado deve tomar cuidado com a tropa de elite”