Sustainability Roundtable: How Local Toilets make Global Politics: Urban Informality and Sustainability in South Africa

When Sep 29, 2017
from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Where Urban Studies Room 123 (426 W Bloom St)
Contact Name
Contact Phone (502) 852-2927
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sUStain stacked iconPlease join us for UofL's Sustainability Roundtable series on alternating Fridays at 11am Sept. 15th through Nov. 10th!

Our September 29th featured presenter will be Dr. Angela Storey (Anthropology), speaking on How Local Toilets make Global Politics: Urban Informality and Sustainability in South Africa. More than half of the world’s population now lives in cities. With much of this urban growth located within the global south, questions of sustainability must increasingly address resource usage in cities like Cape Town, South Africa. Drawing from ethnographic research with residents of informal settlements in Cape Town, this talk will examine water, sanitation, and electricity access—including the construction of extended, self-made, and illegal infrastructures—and consider the work of social movements and community organizations to expand service access—from the sensational “poo protests” to the organizational mundane. Dr. Storey asks: how might the local politics of taps and toilets in South Africa matter to global questions of sustainability?

The format is a 30-40 minute presentation from a variety of speakers, followed by 20-30 minute open discussion. Please feel free to bring your lunch!

Anyone with an interest in sustainability (or social-ecological resilience) can give talks at the speaker series and participate in the audience, including faculty, staff, students, practitioners, teachers, government officials, and members of the public. If you would like to give a presentation, or would like to hear a particular speaker, please contact Daniel DeCaro.

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