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Human Security in Urban Spaces
Graduate Research Awards:
What do you think?
Foreign Affairs Canada (FAC) and the Canadian Consortium on Human Security (CCHS) want you to add your voice to this emerging policy debate by applying for one of 10 Human Security in Urban Spaces Graduate Research Awards:
• 4 at the PhD level (5,000 words at $3,000 each); and
• 6 for Masters students (3,000 words at $1,500 each).
Successful applicants will complete a research paper exploring the impact of cities on human security defined as freedom from fear associated with armed conflict and community violence.
Successful candidates will also be invited to present their research papers at a conference on Human Security in Urban Spaces, hosted by FAC and the CCHS in cooperation with the Centre for International Relations, University of British Columbia, to mark the United Nations World Urban Forum, Vancouver, June 2006 (transportation, accommodations, and meals provided).
CCHS Application information
PLEASE NOTE: Award winners will be contacted on 19 April 2006, not 14 April 2006.
Deadline for application: 19 March 2006
Awards announced: 14 April 2006
Application requirements:
- 500-word research proposal (text attachment);
- curriculum vitae (text attachment);
- transcript of grades (scanned attachment);
- list of references (text attachment; nothing other than names required); and
- Applicants must be full- or part-time students or completed studies within the past year, Canadian citizens, and studying at home or abroad.
Submit your application to: info@humansecurity-cities.org
Research Topics
The theory and the application
Human security in cities is an entirely novel topic, which is why we’re seeking your help in shaping the debate! Nonetheless, we have some ideas on the parameters of the issue. The basic argument here is that cities exert an independent and significant force on key human security concerns—for good or for bad—that may necessitate a new approach to some traditional human security concerns. To flesh out these ideas a little and establish a logic flow, we can say that:
1. At the top of this architecture is our animating paradigm, Freedom from fear. The Freedom from fear agenda seeks to reduce fear of the threat or consequences of armed conflict and its less famous cousin, community violence (which manifests itself in gangs, ethnic or religious tension, etc.).
2. Interfacing with this idea is the urban environment. Cities are posited to be independent actors, exerting autonomous forces on higher (state) and lower (individual) levels. Through a nebulous array of factors (social infrastructure such as community groups and other social/economic/ethnic networks, and the various physical networks which amplify their effects) cities can be factors in state decline, resilient in the face of state failure, resist state authority, etc.
3. The city imposes itself on the various Freedom from fear themes, impacting Protection of civilians, Peace support operations, Conflict prevention, Democratic governance, and Public safety. In each of these areas the city exerts unique effects on the cluster. For example, one potential claim to make would be to say that it is likely that terrorism (a subcluster under Public safety) will increasingly target civilians in cities as they contain strategic, cultural, political, and importantly, mediagenic targets, posing an increased threat to civilians.
Still not sure about your research topic?
The above are only suggestions. You can answer parts of questions, combine them, or even better, come up with your own!
If you need further background on what human security is or how the urban angle applies to it, read up or talks to us:
Read more
Beginning in late January and February 2006, you can explore the rest of site, which will explore the concept in depth.
Until then, you can go to the CCHS’ main human security website. There you can explore areas of current human security focus or cities in a little more depth. Alternatively, you can browse the Government of Canada’s Human Security website, which explains the components in Canada’s human security architecture.
Talk to us
Additionally, feel free to contact us at info@humansecurity-cities.org with any questions you may have about the concept of human security in cities or about the application process. We want you to get involved, so don’t hesitate to contact us.
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