TIP 06|07 – DOug Saunders
Introduction
Paul Gerretsen
This series of lectures, initiated by Deltametropolis Association, aims to answer a broad question on urbanity, namely: what produces it? Besides the presence of the needed hardware, infrastructures, visitors, parks, and open spaces, we believe some elements are still missing. These lectures hope to kick start the process of formulating the future metropolitan development of Randstad Holland. The question is particularly relevant for the Netherlands as, although it is very internationally oriented, it lacks a strong, dense, central metropolitan area, which many other comparable economies do possess. Our search thus asks: can the Netherlands build on a metropolitan identity to create such a central metropolitan area? And what is needed to produce it? What functions, dimensions, collaborative formulations and elements are necessary to improve the existing centres? And where do all these functions come together? In short: how can large scale urban developments be constructed and put forward? This sixth lecture and expert meeting was held at Leiden University (LU), Institute for History on the 16th and 17th of February, 2012. It was hosted by Leo Lucassen, Professor of Social History. The guest speaker was Doug Saunders, Bureau Chief and journalist at The Globe and Mail Europe. Doug Saunders is also the author of the book ‘Arrival City: The Final Migration and Our Next World’ (2010), which has questioned and changed the common views on migration, cities, population growth, foreign aid and politics. He is currently researching the city of Antwerp, with emphasis on the 2060 district, to see how this area functions as an arrival city. As our guest speaker, we asked him to reflect on his observations for the book and the lessons he learnt whilst studying different cities around the world. How important are facilities in attracting new inhabitants? To what extent can the government play a role in facilitating this? And what can we learn from the 2060 district study in Antwerp? In the expert meeting, Professor Leo Lucassen (LU) presented his research on global patterns of migration and urbanisation, from a historical point of view.
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