Scorching Cities

What does it mean to make heat a central part of social, cultural, political and economic analysis of the city.

Our Karachi team addressed this question in a recent panel, “”Scorching Cities”, that presented their work in progress as part of the Cool Infrastructures project. The panel was part of “Climate Change: Threats, Risks and Vulnerabilities”, a 2 day conference, organised by faculty and students at IBA Karachi.

Five team members - Adam, Soha, Aqdas, Atoofa, and Toheed - introduced the Cool Infrastructures work in Karachi and presented emerging themes from the work. Their presentations detailed how the colonial histories and post-colonial geographies of urban heat in South Asia inform the everyday practices of urban residents in visible, and less visible, ways. The panel was presented in English and Urdu, and broadcast online.

The presentations offer an excellent introduction to the team’s work in Karachi. Taken together, they establish a new starting point for future critical engagements with heat in the South Asia city.

The archived recording of the panel is an essential resource for students, researchers, academics and planners.

Resources:
Panel Recording (1.5 hours/8th Oct 2021): Click here to watch via YouTube