Home Away from Home, in Displacement and Beyond. Governance ,Housing Patterns, and the Loss of Identity and Sense of Belonging.
November 7, 2024 | 13:00 - 14:30
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Summary
This panel explores the multifaceted causes and impacts of the loss of home. While in most cases, displacement is the reason for the uprooting of people, it demonstrates that the experience of losing one’s home and cultural identity is not merely related to geographical displacement, but rather caused by power imbalance. It draws parallels between the loss of home that is displacement-induced, and the erosion of sense of belonging that occur in familiar environments, extending beyond physical displacement. It shows how, in both cases, dominant and colonizing forces can reshape the cultural fabric of marginalized communities. Based on 5 case studies in Turkey, Lebanon, Nunatsiavut (Inuit land in Labrador, Canada), Haiti, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, this panel underscores the urgency of addressing root causes of the loss of home that essentially lie in unequal power and control over space. It examines through interdisciplinary lenses the socioeconomic repercussions of cultural erosion, but also presents examples of the resilience of communities in reviving their cultural heritage, at home and away from home. It advocates for policies and approaches that empower local groups in the governance of their living environments. The panel is organized by BC2, a Canadian urban development and consulting firm with more than 35 years of experience. Highlighting the distinctive cultural and identity features of human settlements, BC2 is committed to creating living spaces in harmony with the environment and the communities that inhabit them. This panel is co-organized by the Taiwan-Reyhanli Centre for World Citizens, a non-profit organization providing a lifeline for those affected by conflict and disasters. The moderator is Marie-Pierre McDonald, a BC2 Vice-President and the director of the Inter-Nation Collaboration Department. Following many years of work with and for Indigenous communities, Marie-Pierre has developed unique skills in the management and the implementation of projects with Indigenous Peoples. She acts as a fierce defender of Indigenous rights to land ownership and their aspiration to preserve their traditions and way of life. Five panelists will be presenting the case studies: 1) Dr. Chen-Yu Chiu will tell the story of the first humanitarian architecture project built in the Levant region in response to the Syrian refugee crisis and the 2023 Türkiye-Syria earthquake; 2) Dr. Faten Kikano will present her research on power, space, and policies of exclusion for the Syrian refugees in Lebanon; 3) Colin Gilbride will present the Nunatsiavut Growth Strategy, which aims to provide sustainable and culturally sensitive development and housing plans for Labrador Inuit communities; 4) Olsen Jean Julien will share the post-disaster salvage of the Rara ritual artefacts from 97 vodou temples; and 5) Dr. Robert Kasisi will present the forced displacement of the Indigenous Pygmy Peoples who have been deprived of access to their land.
Objectives
While migration studies emphasize the impacts of refugeeness on the erosion of cultural identity, and while the displacement of populations is often made visible for political gain or to induce philanthropy, the loss of home is less documented in cases of sedentism, in which populations remain in their place of origin. The main objective of this panel is to fill that knowledge gap and to highlight a less visible "loss of home". It draws a parallel between the loss of home that is displacement-induced, and the erosion of culture and identity that occur in the place of origin. It shows that in both cases, power imbalance, inequity, and several forms of exclusion are the real forces that induce the loss of sense of belonging. The panel presents 5 cases with diverse contexts in developed and developing countries in which people experience a violent disconnection with their living environments leading to health, social, and economic issues. It aims at: 1) identifying common patterns throughout the 5 cases; 2) exploring the impacts of the erosion of identity on communities; 3) revealing the resilience of communities and their agency; and 4) identifying policies and approaches that facilitate the reproduction of the cultural and spatial identity, at home and away from home. The panel ultimately aims to contribute to a larger discussion on the importance of local knowledge. It highlights the relevance of broadening conventional ways of understanding “home”, “identity”, and “tradition”.