[Urbanstudy] Fw: A discussion on the Ecology of Fragments

[Curt Gambetta]

Delhi: please note the event on the 15th of this month.

Curt



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From: The Sarai Programme <dak at sarai.net>
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Sent: Fri, July 9, 2010 3:34:39 AM
Subject: [Sarai Newsletter] A discussion on the Ecology of Fragments


The Delhi Urban Platform and the Goethe-Institut

invite you to an open discussion

Ecology of Fragments

6:00 P.M., 15th July 2010

Max Mueller Bhavan, 3, Kasturba Gandhi Marg, Delhi- 1




Ecology of Fragments
The ecology of the city is changing rapidly in complex ways. It is impossible to 
capture this moment completely. In nature, as in human societies, altering any 
part of the ecology of an interdependent networked relationship impacts every 
other part in the system. In this process, many precious elements can 
'disappear,' and become absent. They are apparent to us only as a 'lack,' or 
absence and gradually, over time. While nature evolves through a constant 
struggle and adaptation, with each micro niche being fragile and sustainable, 
there is no single predicted meta outcome, only a constant change. On the other 
hand, the change in our cities seems to be driven through imaginations which are 
fixed and pre-decided by capital and social power. Nothing else which could be 
termed human seems to matter anymore.

'Absences,' can be fragmented and dispersed, and not always visible. They are 
also markers of the forces behind the change. For example, has the 
concretisation of every green patch, lead to the disappearance of the house 
sparrow, or has the conservation of monuments meant that the city has no street 
performers any more? Will the river once cleaned, kill itself, or is the cleaner 
city leading more marginalized lives? Maybe it is time we think of 'ecology' not 
only in terms of 'functionality' (is a tree more useful than a building) and 
'aesthetics,' (is a tree more beautiful than a building), but in terms of 
dominance and loss. Maybe this is what this moment is all about.

Speakers:
Ravi Agarwal: An Ecology of Fragments

Sohail Hashmi: Traditional water systems of Delhi

Anand Vivek Taneja: Monuments as living entities

Shashi Pandit: Wastepickers and new marginalisations in privatisation.

Manoj Mishra: The river as an eco-system, not merely a water channel.

(Chaired and moderated by Ravi Agarwal)

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