Presentation: “Why Las Vegas? City as Prism”

Professor Aseem Inam FRSA is giving a talk at Cardiff University, discussing his research on Las Vegas and its implications for contemporary cities’

Speaker: Aseem Inam Ph.D. F.R.S.A.
Professor and Chair in Urban Design
Cardiff University

Date: Wednesday 21 February 2018
Time: 17:30 – 19:30 GMT

Location: Lecture Theatre -1.64, Glamorgan Building
School of Geography and Planning
Cardiff University
King Edward VII Avenue
Cardiff CF10 3WT

Free and open to the public, but registration is required:  https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/why-las-vegas-city-as-prism-tickets-42042437061

Description: While Las Vegas is usually dismissed or derided as an aberration in urbanism, this talk argues that the city is worthy of not only serious study but also offers valuable insights into the true nature of contemporary urbanism. It offers a critique of critical theory, which tends to engage with broad brush generalizations about how capitalism shapes cities. The talk will illustrate, with case studies, how a more fine-grain contextual analysis yields more valuable theoretical insights. It also argues that Las Vegas, as a city of extremes can be the basis for a more nuanced understanding of how contemporary cities in the U.S. and elsewhere are actually produced. The talk is derived from Professor Inam’s current book-length research on Las Vegas and its implications for contemporary cities.

Dr. Aseem Inam joined Cardiff University as Professor and Chair in Urban Design in April 2017. He leads the MA Urban Design, which is a unique program that cuts across the School of Geography and Planning and the Welsh School of Architecture. Prior to joining the University, he was the John Bousfied Distinguished Visitor in the School of Geography and Planning at the University of Toronto, and the founding Director of the highly innovative MA Theories of Urban Practice program at the Parsons School of Design in New York City. As the Director of TRULAB: Laboratory for Designing Urban Transformation, he practices all over the world, including Brazil, Canada, Haiti, India, and the United States.