January/February 2006
Squatter Town - The South's urban explosion

For the first time inhuman history a majority of the world's people will soon be living in slums in the global South. Already one in six People is a slum dweller - and that number is set to double in the next 30 years. Scrambling for work, struggling to survive, these poor communities face an uphill battle. This month's New Internationalist reports on the conditions of slum life around the world.


NI

No.386

Contents

　

　

　

2 Welcome to Squatter Town
By 2030 there will be over two billion squatters worldwide. Richard Swift reports on their attempt to carve out their own piece of urban space.

4 At the top of the hill
A poet's view of from Rio's favelas by Gabriela Torres Barbosa.

7 Words on the street
Global squattertalk.

8 Architects of our futures
Robert Neuwirth tells what he learned from his two years of living with
squatters on three continents.

10 The lease on life
Richard Swift meets the determined squatters of Bangkok who don't know the meaning of the word eviction.

14 Snapshots from shantytown
A photo essay of squatter life.

16 A tsunami of demolitions
Africa's squatters are up against ruthless state power. Andrew Meldrum reports on Harare and
beyond.

18 Urban Explosion - THE FACTS

20 Squatter citizens
Profiles from the frontlines: the politics of survival in some of the world's grittiest slums.

24 Currents
Post-tsunami threat to Sri Lankan peace; forgotten fatwa on Iran's Left; renewables take off.
PLUS: Big Bad World
PLUS: Seriously

27 Worldbeaters
Does Africa any longer need Bob Geldof as its champion? After Live 8 many people are saying no.

28 NI Jumbo Prize Crossword

29 Making Waves
The newly launched Latin American TV channel, teleSur, is offering a distinctive Southern perspective on the news - and is already causing consternation in the US Congress as a result. Meet its Director General, Aram Aharonian.

30 View from Montevideo
Travelling through Honduras, El Salvador, Mexico and the US, Eduardo Galeano is searched for 'prohibited items'.

32 Mixed Media
MUSIC, BOOKS, FILM review

34 Essay - Empire Left & Right
The idea of empire has certainly made a comeback at both ends of the political spectrum. Richard Swift guides us through the troubled water from Hardt & Negri right through to Niall Ferguson - with a bit of graphic help from Polyp.

38 Letters

39 Letter from Lebanon
In the last of her monthly letters Reem Haddad returns to the murder that has obsessed her nation.

40 Country Profile - Ecuador

　

　

　

　

NI Japan

No.74

Contents

　

<This month's translation>

-Welcome to Squatter Town (NI p2-3)

-At the top of the hill (NI p4-6)

-Snapshots from shantytown (NI p14-15)

-A tsunami of demolitions (NI p16-17)

-Squatter citizens (NI p20-23)

-Current - Reconstructing peace / SPEECHMARKS (NI p24-26)

-Country Profile - Afghanistan (NI p40)



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