Politics

  1. Home
  2. Episodes

City Builder Series: The Elected Official

January 20, 2020 in City Builder Series, Politics

Subscribe: Stitcher | TuneIn | RSS

We’ve released over 40 episodes of 360 Degree City, covering a crazy range of topics – from cycling to public art to urban agriculture and much, much more. 

While we’ve explored issues and topics related to cities, we thought it would be helpful to spend some time focusing on the different actors that impact city building. 

So, we’ve developed a multi-part series where John talks to different kinds of city builders about what they do, why they do it and what unique approaches and challenges they represent. Our hope is that by the end of the series, you’ll have some new perspectives on these actors and how to work with them – whether you’re a seasoned city builder yourself or you’re just starting to explore the complexity of our cities.

The first episode is about The Elected Official. John sits down with Calgary’s Mayor, Naheed Nenshi, to discuss what it means to be an elected official, the best of what they can bring to city building and some problematic practices of those who hold elected office. 

Resources

  • Follow Naheed Nenshi on Twitter: @nenshi

Canada’s Communities

July 25, 2018 in Art & Culture, Community, Politics

Subscribe: Stitcher | TuneIn | RSS

Last weekend, two of us from the team went to Winnipeg for the national Canadian Institute of Planners Conference. In collaboration with the Manitoba Professional Planners Institue, this conference attracted urbanists from across the country. The conference covered many topics, from the importance of music venues and motels to why storytelling is key for city building.

We wanted to share snippets of stories about Canadian communities, so we went to the streets and conference halls to ask planners what challenges their communities are facing. We heard a variety of responses.

We recognize the many challenges facing communities across the nation, but we didn’t want to end the conversation there. The theme of the conference was soul, grit and authenticity.

Paul Kennedy, host of the CBC Radio Show Ideas said in his keynote that: “Soul is what you find when you don’t know what you’re looking for. You’ll find it when you listen.” So we thought we’d listen to others and ask: What gives your community soul?

Whether dealing with growth or decline or anything in between, cities from coast to coast to coast face challenges when preparing and planning for change. But when a city encourages social interactions and strong feelings of connection, communities can cultivate soul, which can lead to solidarity and strength.

As Jane Jacobs once said, “There is no logic that can be superimposed on the city; people make it, and it is to them, not buildings that we must fit our plans.” 

We had a great time with the fellow CIP delegates this past weekend. Big thanks to Sheena and CIP for setting us up at the conference. And thank you to everyone who participated in this podcast episode! 

Resources

 

Anthropology & Equity

June 18, 2018 in Politics

Subscribe: Stitcher | TuneIn | RSS

Today’s guest is Katrina Johnston Zimmerman, an advocate for equitable and women led cities. Through her observational methods as an urban anthropologist, Katrina is working to make cities more inclusive for everybody.

In this episode, Katrina and John talk about:

  • How Katrina understands cities through the lens of an urban anthropologist
  • Some shifts that have occurred in cities over time
  • The importance of advocating for women led cities
  • How cities can become more equitable

Resources