This session was all about cities. From speakers parsing the cycles of violence in them, to those thinking far outside the box on what they could look like, read up on these ideas for cities. Robert Muggah is troubled by our cities. Not urban success stories like Shanghai and Seoul, but those that he calls “fragile cities,” quickly urbanizing […]
Cities. While 54% of the world’s population lives in them, the urban experience is incredibly varied. From city planning in China to creating art out of Rio’s favelas, this session looks at urban environments and the possibilities found within them. The speakers who’ll appear in this session: Robert Muggah creates tools to collect data that aim […]
The theme of Session 4 is Field Work — and we’re hearing from people who get outside, who work in the field and hear what’s really going on. Ameenah Gurib-Fakim is a professor at the University of Mauritius, and she’s here this morning to show us five plants unique to where she works and lives: the Mascarene Islands. […]
Human-rights activist Oren Yakobovich encourages the recording of human rights abuses to expose them to worldwide scrutiny. He founded the organization Videre, which is short for the Latin phrase “videre est credere”—to see is to believe.
The speakers in this session can’t be contained in a cubicle or desk chair. These bold thinkers — from an activist surfacing human rights on video to a scientist uncovering the biodiversity of her island nation — do their work out in the world, surfacing fresh insights as they go. The speakers who’ll appear in this session: […]
Today was the first day of TEDGlobal 2014. If you weren’t able to clear your schedule to watch TED Live today and experience the magic in real-time, we’re here to help. Here are some highlights from the day: What maps can tell you about hip-hop fans At TED University, a session of talks by conference attendees, Dave Troy […]
Session 3 of TEDGlobal 2014 took a look at things thatmove across borders, from identity to violence, from money to music. Below, a recap of these moving talks. Filmmaker José Padilha, director of Elite Squad and the remake of RoboCop, talks about a new project about Friendship Bridge, which connects Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina. A hotspot for violence, this slim arch […]
“How can I come from a nation? How can a human being come from a concept?” With these questions the majestic Taiye Selasi, author of Ghana Must Go, closes talks for Day 1 of TEDGlobal 2014. Having just come back from a tour, Selasi is irked and perplexed by the consistently inconsistent way she was […]
Growing up in a small village in India’s Orissa region, Dilip Ratha dreamed of becoming a poet. With only $20 in his pocket, he crossed two oceans and moved to the United States to study and is now an economist at the World Bank. But he always saved up money to send back to his father and brother. […]
“What has the War on Drugs done in the world?” asks Ethan Nadelmann, the founder of the Drug Policy Alliance. He namechecks just a few of its results: cartel violence in Central America, a ballooning global black market, packed prisons throughout the United States. “It’s like it’s my country’s history with alcohol prohibition and Al Capone times 50,” he […]
It’s tempting to want to study one phenomenon in isolation. But crime, power, money—even identity—exist in the overlap. In this session, we look at how things flow, in ripples both expected and surprising. The speakers in this session: José Padilha delves into interlocking layers of street crime and institutional power with his unflinching action and […]
Technology fuels social movements and opens up opportunities for political change. But at the same time, technology can radically compromise our privacy. In Session 2, speakers explore both potentials, with surprising conclusions. Below, recaps of the talks in this session. In 2011, a single email launched a worldwide movement against wealth inequality. Yet three years on, Occupy hasn’t delivered on its utopian […]
As one of the first reporters to see Edward Snowden’s files, Glenn Greenwald has faced personal repercussions for his professional work — yet continues to speak publicly about mass surveillance issues. In this searing talk, Greenwald makes the case for why privacy matters.
In 2011, a single email launched what became a worldwide movement calling out wealth inequality. Yet three years on, Occupy hasn’t delivered on its utopian promises. Why? In opening Session 2 at TEDGlobal 2014, techno-sociologist Zeynep Tufekci talks about the shortcomings of social movements galvanized by social media. To be sure, online networks have had a profound […]
How do our individual online lives influence the larger structures of society? We begin this session with a multi-faceted look at how digital platforms help shape movements, and how the call for change can transform into something with staying power. From there, we shift to a discussion of surveillance and the need for privacy—an issue […]
Session 1 of TEDGlobal 2014 felt a little like a campfire, as five speakers took the stage to share stories of their homeland. Below, a recap of what each had to say. Figures from history rarely have political durability, says writer Marie Arana. And yet, Simón Bolívar’s face still appears in street art throughout South America — he’s […]