Planning history, and cultural resilience: a postcolonial perspective

Abstract

We are faced today with urban challenges that seem unprecedented. As climate related extreme events become increasingly frequent, the notion of resilience has come to forefront. But there is also increasing frequency of destruction and disaster brought about by conflict. More than 60 million people live as refugees, fleeing violent conflicts, persecution, and natural disasters. And most recently, we have Brexit. What does it mean for future of our cities to face financial insecurity and migration under duress? How do we build resilience in the face of conflict? How should we plan our cities to be resilient and secure when we have challenges to financial and food security, and violence and lack of basic safety is a fact of urban life in many parts of the world? The idea of planning for resilience in cities seems more urgent today than ever. I would like to do three things today. First, reflect on the role of planning history at this urgent moment that is also an exploration of the relationship of planning history with planning practice. Second, consider some concepts of resilience the contribution of culture and cultural heritage to urban resilience. And finally, I want to look at the historiography of planning history from a postmodern perspective