Olympic Evictions? Hallmark Events and impacts on housing: a lecture by Dr. Kris Olds

FREE

Kris Olds is Professor of Geography, University of Wisconsin-Madison.

He is based at Sciences Po in Paris during his 2007-2008 sabbatical year.

His BA (Human Geography, 1986) and MA (Community and Regional Planning,1988) are from the University of British Columbia, while his PhD (Human Geography, 1996) is from the University of Bristol. He has worked in England, Canada, Singapore (1997-2001) and the United States (2001 to present).

At UW-Madison Kris teaches interdisciplinary-oriented courses in urban and economic geography, and also plays an active role in various international initiatives on campus. Kris' research focuses on urban and regional change, as well as the globalization of the services industries. He recently completed a three year role on the Advisory Board for the Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions (COHRE) now landmark 2007 report titled Fair Play for Housing Rights: Mega-Events, Olympic Games and Housing Rights (Geneva: COHRE and GIAN). Kris has been conducting research on the housing impacts of mega-events since 1986.

In Paris Kris is currently conducting research on two projects related to the global geopolitics and geoeconomics of higher education restructuring. His publications include numerous articles and chapters, as well as the following books: Globalization and the Asia-Pacific: Contested Territories (Routledge, 1999); The Globalization of Chinese Business Firms (Macmillan/St.Martin's Press, 2000); and Globalization and Urban Change: Capital, Culture, and Pacific Rim Mega-Projects (Oxford University Press, 2001/2002). He also recently founded a new research-based blog called GlobalHigherEd blog (available athttp://globalhighered.wordpress.com/).

The lecture will be followed by a group of local panelists to discuss the
current housing situation in Vancouver.