Cities and Revolution

Sarah Goodyear notes that while the internet shutdown in Egypt is getting all the attention, the real activism is happening on the streets of Cairo. City streets are the true gathering places for revolution.

1 minute read

January 31, 2011, 2:00 PM PST

By Tim Halbur

Goodyear writes about how some cities are specifically designed to quash revolutions, while others unintentionally encourage activism:

"Certain infrastructure factors can make cities more likely to serve as revolutionary centers. [British Marxist historian Eric] Hobsbawm notes that places where the ruling power is centrally located are especially vulnerable. In Cairo, the headquarters of Hosni Mubarak's National Democratic Party -- right in the heart of town -- was gutted by fire early in the protests. That destruction made an unforgettable visual statement that reverberated around Egypt and the world.

The ability of the protesters to take control of other key pieces of Cairo's infrastructure and public space has been crucial to the movement in the past few days."

FULL STORY: In Egypt, you can switch off the internet but not the streets

Monday, January 31, 2011 in Grist

Architecture Community / Economic Development Africa Urban Design Public Protest Revolutions View More

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