IS221 Week NINE Lecture_2024

Song of the Week

Your hand is wounded, my hand is calloused You are the sickle of anger, I am the hammer of resentment Arm in arm, in the season of struggle With anger and resentment, we raise the flag of labor We must plow anew, plant anew, harvest anew You must grow new roots, rise from new roots You must reap, you must thresh My bread comes from you, your bread comes from me I live because of you, you live because of me Let’s fly together, sing together Experience freedom together Your sickle is sharp, and my hammer is strong Let’s take strength from each other's arms This land needs new seeds This factory depends on labor

Migrants & the (Global) City

Dr Nazanin Shahrokni, IS221, 2024

S T A R T

Cities as the key nodes in the international system

Compare this with Miraftab's "global city"? How does the "global" manifest itself in a city?

a "global city" is a city that serves as a key node in the global economic system.

Sassen identifies several features of global cities: > Economic Power and Financial Services> Concentration of Specialized Services > Connectivity and Infrastructure > Diverse and Multicultural Populations

A Global Sense of Place

Whose City?

2018

"This is what happens when people move out," Johnson says, gesturing to a massive conference room with million-dollar views over Central Park. "I come in here and I do yoga."

Looking at the city through an intersectional lens

Who produces the city?

Who is missing from narratives & decision-making processes?

Who uses the city, how & for what purpose?

Race, gender, class and other social categories of difference shape our experiences of/in the city.

Thinking analytically about global cities

Geographies of centrality & marginality

Geometries of power

Contradictory Space

The Global City through An Intersectional Lens

Geographies of Centrality refers to the spatial concentration of wealth, influence, and high-value economic activities, typically in city centers and financial districts which become hubs of global economic command, designed to support and attract elite professional networks, specialized services, and high-income groups. Geographies of Marginality arises as lower-income groups, immigrants, and working-class populations are pushed to the peripheries—both geographically and economically. These marginalized areas often lack investment in infrastructure and services, leading to poor living conditions, job insecurity, and limited access to resources and opportunities. The burden of survival in global cities falls heavily on marginalized groups, especially low-wage service workers, immigrants, and minority communities.

Migration, Labour & the City

Global Migration & Migrants

Migrant workers in

Data on Labour Migration

And this brings me to our brilliant guest lecturer:

Tanjila Afrin is a second-year MA student at the School for International Studies, SFU. She hails from Bangladesh and is an international student in Canada. Her master’s research focuses on understanding the multiple vulnerabilities faced by Rohingya women in Malaysia. Tanjila recently conducted her fieldwork in Malaysia during the summer of 2024, where she directly interviewed and collaborated with the Rohingya communities. Before becoming a graduate student at SFU, she worked for various NGOs and INGOs in Bangladesh. In addition to being a current IS graduate student, Tanjila has a diverse educational background, holding a Master’s degree in Environmental Science from Jawaharlal Nehru University, India. Currently, alongside her research, Tanjila is also serving as a Teaching Assistant for IS courses this semester and previously worked as a Research Assistant. Tanjila has received numerous awards and grants including the 2024 Aziz and Parin Dossa Community Outreach Award which received recently.