Shavit Vered Baruch

We are experiencing the most profound refugee crisis in living memory. But we remain largely unaware of its true origins: environmental exploitation, forced resettlement, artificial resentments stoked into conflict. Fighting environmental oppression can provide an entry point for addressing profound challenges across societies.

Ahmed Yasin

Ramallah today is a product of its history—not only centuries of continuous habitation, but also the reality of occupying and economic forces ignoring the needs of its population. Ahmed Yasin argues that urban development must be tied to local history—and the knowledge of the city’s inhabitants is an important asset in this case.

Elianne Kramer

"The limits of my language mean the limits of my world” – Ludwig Wittgenstein 

Liel Maghen and Tariq S. Nassar

This paper will present the differences between the approaches towards the notion of “land,” examining the political implication of “placemaking” activities such as forming shared public spaces neutral of national meaning, across the city of Jerusalem. 

Deborah Rahmane

What’s life in the city like for a three-year-old?  The everyday experiences of children is a crucial perspective in urban development initiatives, it gives unique insight into the challenges faced by populations with specific needs, promotes equality, and can shape an effective framework for long-term change.

Gilan Miller-Gertz

Urban development initiatives often pit competing interests against one another—ultimately, to the detriment of all. The city of Bet Shemesh stands as an exemplar for a collaborative and sustainable approach. The difference? An approach that recognizes community needs, and facilitates access to key resources.

Alon Cohen Lifshitz

The development of informal urban settlements is a perennial challenge for residents and municipal authorities—a challenge compounded by the absence of consultative processes and shared objectives. Alon Cohen Lifshitz presents two grassroots initiatives, seeking to give slum dwellers a voice and a stake in their own futures.

Kali Silverman

Tackling urban inequalities requires a plural approach, drawing from community knowledge and experiences. But it can sometimes be a challenge even to harness this resource. Kali Silverman presents the “Ladder of Participation” as a means of shaping a sustainable and practical response to social problems.

Rachel Gerber and Jacob Sztokman

Climate change in India has created waves of internal migration, with a devastating impact on rural communities—particularly the most vulnerable members, women and children. Rachel Gerber and Jacob Sztokman describe the cycle of deprivation and marginalization that this led to —a prompt, should one be needed, for more assertive steps to protect the environment.

Shaya Bonstein

Michal Bruck

Daniela Schmill Bardavid