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Reconstruction Sites Reconstruction Sites

Lisa Smirl

Centre for International Studies

& Emmanuel College

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Observations Observations

As disasters become more frequent, reconstruction becomes an increasingly prominent aspect of the international development discourse

And, I argue, is an important part of the OECD countries constructing themselves as ethical international actors, with not only a responsibility but a right to intervention.

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Research: Research:

Looking at how the international community approaches the reconstruction of large scale disasters.

What can a spatial lens tell us about these sites? :

a) Locally - Is reconstruction successful when judged against it’s own criteria for success?

b) Globally - What is the impact on the discourse of north-south relations

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Hypothesis:Hypothesis:

There are technologies of reconstruction that can be seen across reconstruction sites

These technologies are the result of spatial practices of the international community (the way in which the conduct, house, transport themselves in the reconstruction sites)

Result of a particular approach to reconstruction (competitive) which fragments the reconstructive project.

These technologies are remarkably similar across reconstruction sites

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Two levels of investigation: Two levels of investigation:

A - Local circumstancea) What is built

b) How is it used

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Two levels of investigation: Two levels of investigation:

A - Local circumstancea) What is built

b) How is it used

B - Western influencea) International processes & technologies of

reconstruction

b) Physical presence of international in reconstruction zones

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Case Studies Case Studies Primary: South East Asian Tsunami Aceh (Banda Aceh & Meulaboh) South Sri Lanka

Selected: Katrina (on housing) Kosovo, Rwanda, BiH (on international compounds) Various UN missions (exchange of reconstruction

expertise)

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Local circumstancesLocal circumstances

Idea of the reconstruction of the house Why does the concept of the house, or home

occupy the central aspect of the reconstruction discourse? Concept of the Western reconstruction of the homeIssues surrounding the design, construction, use

of the houseNo accountability, and very little follow through.

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Fig.1 - Habitat for Humanity house design, AcehFig.1 - Habitat for Humanity house design, Aceh

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Why? Why?

A) Partly attributable to the dynamics/processes of the international humanitarian approach:o Competition amongst

NGOso Normative associationso Short attention span of

international viewers

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Why…cont’d Why…cont’d

B) Partly attributable to the physical situation of Western humanitarian workers in these situations:

In specific sites As a global flow

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Compounding Crisis? Compounding Crisis?

In country situation of humanitarian & development workers• live and work within compounds• Travel in land rovers• Set up parallel delivery systems and

transport networks

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Impacts of Western Presence Impacts of Western Presence

Perpetuation of a neo-colonial power relationship (viz. Duffield)

But am also interested in how the observed spatial inequalities impact the way in which reconstruction takes place • On the ground• At the level of international discourse

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Impact of Western Presence - Impact of Western Presence - Transnational Transnational • Within discourses of globalization

theory there was much talk about transnational flows, the creation of a global identity (viz. Sassen)

• Interested in how these grounded, enclosed experiences of the international development are transferred between reconstruction sites

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When we look at the way in which the reconstruction sites/efforts are discussed and represented with the practitioners discourse, it is common to group together both natural and political reconstructive sites

• Acknowledging that CHUs include both natural & political dimensions, (e.g. Aceh, Sri Lanka, Sudan) it is still important to understand the development and transmission of reconstructive expertise across zones

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FIN.FIN.