Projects
Evaluating Pandemic Response :
Re-Bordering & De-Bordering Processes
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By Lakshmi S & Dr. Reem Sultan
In this research project, pandemic response strategies in India and Bahrain were evaluated from the lens of "Theory of The Border" by Thomas Nail to understand power relationships and exclusions. Through this work, the authors ask "How can emergency response by Governments and other organisations take exclusions into account? How can they response strategies be made more inclusive and robust by taking into consideration the needs of the most vulnerable?" The study is an attempt to decolonise discourses on the exclusions by making visible conversations that aren't most talked about in global mainstream media.
Inclusive Environments
The University of Sheffield, 2017
By Lakshmi S
In this masters' thesis project, Lakshmi uses the Kasturbai MRTS station (as it existed in 2017) as a context and medium of access to address, discuss and examine :
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How can stationary public transport infrastructure (the stations) exclude people and recreate or challenge existing systems of privilege?
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How do they shape the way a city is accessed?
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How can they be used as critical nodes of intervention to make the city more inclusive?
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Agencies of Infrastructure
The University of Sheffield, 2017
By Lakshmi S, Beimeng Zhang, Li Hua, Houfai Pang
In this studio project, we explored non-binary exclusion and its spatial impact, in Za’atri refugee camp, Jordan.
The methodologies used were:
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A Scenario Game that simulated possible future scenarios in the camp,
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Mapping the changing privilege/oppression of each actor because of her intersectional identity, using a Privilege Pentagon (an image based tool we created) and
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a model that qualitatively simulated the impact of power relations on the location of social infrastructure.
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Borders of The UK
The University of Sheffield, 2016 -17
By Lakshmi S, Beimeng Zhang, Li Hua, Pooyah Hosseini, Ebru Sen, Zhao Xinfei
In a place where the physical border is not the place of conflict, we first need to identify where the border arises and how this zone becomes an area of conflict. By understanding how the entry process and some spaces related to the border work, we will be accessing the intangible workings of the border via tangible space.
1) Airports - The Dispersed Borders
This presentation uses the journey of 4 international students to examine this theme.
2) IRCs - The (Deliberately) Hidden Borders
The narrative uses Google maps and street views as a tool to examine how these spaces are strategically located and hidden from public view on an urban level in order to ensure their successful working.
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