12 Apr 2012

Dreamers not victims: Syrian refugee children show drawings of their dream homes

It is rarely that my twin interests, Arab politics and architecture, intersect. This set of photographs published by The Globe and Mail Photos: Syrian refugee children show drawings of their dream homes is simultaneously heartbreaking and uplifting. The 'dream home' is a handy instigator for imagining an alternative future and regaining the stability lost by refugees. It's a genuinely touching series of photographs made even more poignant by the revolutionary slogans. All credit to the photographer who came up with the idea, for once we are presented with refugees as dreamers not victims. 

Warspace: The City in Civil Conflict (Beirut)

For the 37nd anniversary of the start of the Lebanese civil war (13th of April 1975), here's a link to my thesis about the impact of the civil war on Beirut: Warspace: The City in Civil Conflict. The essay was written in 2003 and it includes a brief historic note about the Lebanese civil war and an analysis of the spatial phenomena that the war produced.

10 Apr 2012

The Graphic Guide to Egypt's Presidential Elections

 Click on the image to enlarge.

Introducing the Beardometer, a political sliding scale for understanding Egypt's presidential elections.

Note: The same face has been used for all illustrations. Any value judgements you make accordingly are down to your own imagination, this is purely a scientific exercise.