How do we build cities where we aren't just living within the same urban space, but living together?
Greater Toronto is now home to a larger proportion of foreign-born residents than any other major global metropolis. Not surprisingly, city officials rarely miss an opportunity to tout the region's ethno-cultural neighbourhoods. Yet there's strong evidence that the GTA is experiencing widening socio-economic disparities that have produced worrisome divisions. We say that 'diversity is our strength,' but has a feel-good catchphrase prevented us from confronting the forces that seem to be separating and isolating urban communities?
Through compelling storytelling and analysis, Subdivided's contributors – a wide range of place-makers, academics, activists and journalists – ask how we can expand city-building processes to tackle issues ranging from transit equity and trust-based policingto holistic mental health, dignified affordable housing and inclusive municipal governance. Ultimately, Subdivided aims to provoke the tough but pressing conversations required to build a truly connected and just city.
Contents
Introduction - Jay Pitter
Identity and the City: Thinking Through Diversity – Beyhan Farhadi
Doing Immigrant Resettlement Right – Doug Saunders
Wasauksing–Vancouver–Toronto: My Path Home – Rebeka Tabobondung
How We Welcome: Why Canada's Refugee Resettlement Program Undermines Place-making – Sarah Beamish and Sofia Ijaz
Finding Space for Spirituality – Fatima Syed
Navigating the City with an Invisible Illness: The Story of Dorothy – Denise DaCosta
Culture and Mental Illness – Karen Pitter
Neighbourhood Watch: Racial Profiling and Virtual Gated Communities – Asmaa Malik
Accessing Education: An Immigrant's Story – Nicholas Davis
Policing and Trust in the Hyper-Diverse City – Nana Yanful
Three Questions about Carding – Idil Burale
An Overburdened Promise: Arts Funding for Social Development – Ian Kamau, Paul Nguyen and Ryan Paterson, with John Lorinc
Designing Dignified Social Housing – Jay Pitter
Walking Through Loss: A Critical Visit to an Old Neighbourhood – Photography by Taha Muharuma
Reconsidering Revitalization: The Case of Regent Park – Jay Pitter in conversation with Sandra Costain
Model Citizens – Andrea Gunraj
A Tale of Two – or Three – Cities: Gentrification and Community Consultations – Mariana Valverde
Mobility in the Divided City – Eric Mann
Toward MoreComplete Communities: Business Out of the Box – Alina Chatterjee
Going Beyond Representation: The Diversity Deficit in Local Government – John Lorinc
Brampton, a.k.a. Browntown – Noreen Ahmed-Ullah
Life in the City In-Between – Shawn Micallef
Conclusion – J. David Hulchanski
