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Cities changed dramatically in recent years. Public health restrictions prompted some people to leave larger metropolitan areas. As those rules were lifted, most returned. But then the cost of living increased. Smaller urban centres have spotted an opportunity to capitalize on the desire for a higher quality of life and a more “authentic” existence. Smaller and mid-sized cities in North America are investing in new strategies to attract residents. In this episode of The Conversation Weekly podcast, we spoke with two urban theorists about why people were leaving larger cities for smaller ones, and how authenticity was marketed using social media influencers.
Elsewhere, we consider the legality of the Chinese balloon that crossed American airspace, before being shot down, and the enduring Siddi culture that was born of the enforced migration of Africans to India more than 600 years ago.
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Smaller cities can offer the amenities of larger ones, combined with authentic charm and history.
(Shutterstock)
Nehal El-Hadi, The Conversation; Daniel Merino, The Conversation
During the global COVID-19 pandemic, people started moving into smaller cities, drawn by the possibility of more affordable and pleasant quality of life.
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Siddi children performing Dance Dhamaal in Ahmedabad in Gujarat, India.
Courtesy Sayan Dey
Sayan Dey, University of the Witwatersrand
Dhamaal music and dance reveals a rich and complex mixing of cultures that is shaped by history.
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Chad Fish/AP
Donald Rothwell, Australian National University
Every country has sovereignty over their own airspace and permission must be sought by foreign aircraft entering that airspace.
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Iain Boyd, University of Colorado Boulder
A Chinese high-altitude balloon violated U.S. airspace, a serious enough breach to nix a high-level diplomatic meeting in Beijing. The balloon itself, however, was not much of a threat.
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Heather McGregor, Heriot-Watt University
Emma Tucker’s arrival as editor of The Wall Street Journal means that there are women running the three most important outlets for financial commentary.
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James R Pritchett, University of Hull
A supply of US F-16 fighter aircraft could transform the air war and give Ukraine an edge on the ground.
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Nitya Rao, University of East Anglia
Widows and single women are losing their homes, after being told they can no longer work by the Taliban, and are living on the poverty line.
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Anthony Bain, University of Windsor
Kate Winslet held her breath for an impressive 7 minutes and 15 seconds while filming, but the current world record is over 24 minutes. Here’s how people learn to stay underwater for extended periods of time.
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Jodi McAlister, Deakin University
A UK university has attached a trigger warning to Northanger Abbey, Jane Austen’s biting satire, for ‘toxic relationships’. Ironically, Jodi McAlister loves it for the gentle romance at its centre.
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