|
HUMAN SECURITY RESEARCH AND OUTREACH PROGRAM INTERNSHIPS AND GRADUATE RESEARCH AWARDS
DFAIT's Human Security Research and Outreach Program (HSROP), in cooperation with the Canadian Consortium on Human Security (CCHS), has selected 8 Research Interns and 8 Graduate Research Awards Recipients.
Human Security - Cities
Freedom from fear in urban spaces:
With mega-cities of over 20 million featuring larger populations than three-quarters of the world’s countries, is it time to examine human security in urban spaces? Are cities exerting independent human security impacts on conflict prevention, terrorism, and peace support operations? Under what conditions do urban spaces generate tolerance rather than tensions, act as buffers instead of flashpoints?
Why human security and cities?
With the phenomenal growth of urban populations in the last century, cities have become powerful actors that can profoundly influence human security. In recognition of this fact, adopting an “urban lens” through which to view human security issues allows for a better understanding of peacebuilding or conflict-generating trends that are unique to cities, so as to strengthen and improve upon human security policy and programming.
The individual’s freedom from fear is at the heart of Canada’s human security paradigm, and cities, quite simply, are home to more and more individuals. Even beyond statistics like the fact that in 2005 the world became over half urban, however, are the social, psychological, and behavioural changes associated with urbanity.
Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada has identified three focus areas within the larger topic of urban human security. Failures of public security occur when official authorities lack the will or ability to maintain the basic levels of personal safety demanded by the social contract which underpins urban spaces. Kids, guns, and gangs make a volatile combination in slums around the world where the rule of law falters. On the flip side, conflict resilient cities offer possibilities for enhanced urban human security in the face of both internal and external challenges.
|
Development of this site was funded by the 
