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- rn
- I spent most of the past four years hanging out with street hawkers, smugglers, and sub-rosa import/export firms to write Stealth of Nations, a book that chronicles the global growth of System D--the parallel economic arena that today accounts for half the jobs on the planet. Prior to that, I lived in squatter communities across four continents to write Shadow Cities, a book that attempts to humanize these vibrant, energetic, and horribly misunderstood communities. My articles on cities, politics, and economic issues have appeared in many publications, including Harper's, Scientific American, Forbes, Fortune, The Nation, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Metropolis, and City Limits. Before becoming a reporter, I worked as a community organizer and studied philosophy. I live in New York City and do most of my writing on manual typewriters.
6 comments:
As far as I understand, it's primarily fuelled by the "police takover", creating higher land values through the increase in security and economic opportunities, like is always the case with land values.
Yes, Anon, that's what the BEEB says. But the push to occupy the favelas was set in motion the moment Rio was chosen for the World Cup and Olympics. Before then, the government made only isolated incursions into the favelas -- and was not interested in doing anything on this scale.
M: sure, the initial motivation is probably exactly that, but had the same method been applied without that motivation, the same result would occur.
Dear Robert N
I am an American living in Nairobi and for 2 months I volunteered in Kibera. I am planning on living in KIbera for the month leading up to March 4th Kenyan election. I want to tell the story of Kibera and the lead up to the election (I am a political science major). I have a plan and written proposal. I read your book Shadow Cities and was inspired. It would like your input and advice.
Thank you
Patrick
To Anon: I doubt that the police takeover alone would have caused the land rush.
To Patrick Kelly:
Interesting project! Feel free to contact me with more details:
squattercity ... at ... yahoo ... dot ... com
There is a general land rush in Rio; partly it is the Olympics and the World Cup, and partly it is the flood of oil money in the city. Property values have trebled in the past 5 years (more or less), so it's no surprise that people are looking at the less favoured areas - the Austrian in the report bought his place in 2009, before the UPP pacification began.
I can see Rio becoming a sort of Gulf with added caipirinha in the next decade ... rich folks in high-rises on the shore serviced by migrant workers.
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