Divided cities in a time of globalisation
'Walls for freedom? divided cities in a global age: Padua, Ceuta & Melilla, Belfast and Berlin' (Walls for freedom?) is an EU-funded project that has investigated the role of walls in several modern European cities, namely Padua (Italy), Belfast (UK) and Berlin (Germany). The Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla in Morocco have also been studied. Although the walls were constructed to improve security for citizens, they have also resulted in dividing one community from another. The initiative has investigated the reasons behind the construction of these barriers and examined their effectiveness in resolving conflict. The project has also analysed the ways in which walls can generate a system of belief and cultural practices that legitimise official decisions to intervene in the urban environment. Paradoxically, these barriers control and segregate communities at a time when urban multiculturalism and the global movement of populations are being promoted. Research conducted by the Walls for freedom? project will help shed light on the impact of separating different communities with a physical barrier. The initiative's findings can be used to gain a better understanding of urban conflict and segregation.
