Launch: Routledge Handbook on Labour in Construction and Human Settlements
The Built Environment at Work
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Online
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Highlights
- 2 hours
- Online
About this event
The book: a brief note
The way the built environment is produced, and its main products – cities and towns – have an impact on large numbers of workers. The construction workers are better- or worse-off depending on the characteristics of the process of production of the elements of the built environment, such as buildings and infrastructure. At the same time, workers in other sectors of the economy need the elements of the built environment. The quality of such facilities influence their work and lives.
The book adopts a comprehensive approach to the relationship between labour and the built environment, with four topical areas, addressing the range of issues described above:
· how labour and the built environment relate to development: this is extended to the consideration of opportunities for improvements – for example, a socially-conscious use of technological advancements coupled with redistribution
· employment generation in the built environment: the present status and the future prospects for employment creation in the built environment, and make recommendations
· quality of employment in the built environment: the deficits in quality of work in the sector – as well as challenges, opportunities and innovations – which may, by themselves, bring challenges and opportunities
· the impact of the built environment on labour in other sectors: the subjects covered include: territorial development and livelihoods; housing and labour markets (how together they can strongly influence the development of a city); housing as a place of work (home-based enterprises); public spaces as workplaces; challenges relating to the built environment faced by those who still work in traditional workplaces (such as poorly constructed facilities, which can lead to accidents and health problems); corruption, which also affects the workers in ways such as wage delays and theft and the use of poor quality materials which compromise safety.
The Routledge Handbook on Labour in Construction and Human Settlements: The built environment at work, was published in December 2023
The 18 chapters were written by world-renowned experts on labour, construction and human settlements. Each of the chapters was peer-reviewed by another expert on the particular subject.
Aim and objectives of the book
The aim of the book is to present a state-of-the-art review of the relationship between labour and the built environment, and indicate possible new directions for the subject. It is an authoritative reference text.
The objectives of the book are to:
- present a comprehensive review of the literature on the main topics on the relationship between labour and the built environment
- explore the fundamental issues and underpinnings of the subject such as recurrent deficits, changes in technology, employment relations and working relations
- propose new topics and sub-topics to be explored with the view to enabling the subject to grow
- draw the outline of the future of the subject.
PROGRAMME
09:30 Welcome and Virtual Housekeeping by the Moderator, Mr Ansar Tokeer of Events Team, London South Bank University (LSBU) (The Moderator will give participants information on how to interact with the platform, and how to use the Chat Box and the Q&A Box. The Moderator will also deliver the LSBU respect and dignity statement.)
09:35 Statement by Mr Ed Needle, Publisher, Engineering, Taylor & Francis Group, UK.
09:40 Statement by Dr Edmundo Werna, Co-Editor of the book.
09:45 Scene Setting and Launch of the Book by Professor Tara Dean, Provost of LSBU, UK. (After introduction by the Moderator.)
10:00 Talks on Chapters by Contributors to the Book
10:01 Chapter 12 Mistreatment of migrant construction workers: Trajectory from the past to the present and into the future by Abdul-Rashid Abdul-Aziz, AbdulLateef Olanrewaju, and Poline Bala. Presented by Professor Abdul-Rashid Abdul-Aziz, Wawasan Open University, Malaysia.
10:05 Chapter 13 The smart city as the factory of the twenty-first century? How urban platforms reshape the nexus between the built environment, livelihoods, and labour by Jeroen Klink and Ângela Cristina Tepassê. Presented by Professor Jeroen Klink, Federal University of ABC, Brazil (by video).
10:09 Chapter 11 Gender, construction work, and organisation by Maria Johansson and Kristina Johansson. Presented by Dr Maria Johansson, Luleå University of Technology, Sweden.
10:13 Chapter 7 Labour contracting, migration and wage theft in the construction industry in Qatar, China, India, US and the EU by Dr Jill Wells, Engineers Against Poverty, UK.
10:17 Chapter 5 Differing approaches to embedding low energy construction and climate literacy into vocational education and training by Linda Clarke, Melahat Sahin-Dikmen, Christopher Winch, Vivian Price, John Calvert, Pier-Luc Bilodeau, and Evelyn Dionne. Presented by Professor Linda Clarke, University of Westminster, UK.
10:21 Chapter 14 Housing markets and labour markets: Towards a new research agenda for the Global South by Edmundo Werna, Ramin Keivani, and Youngha Cho. Presented by Professor Ramin Keivani and Dr Youngha Cho, Oxford Brookes University, UK.
10:26 Review of the Book
10:27 Professor Theo Haupt, University of Wyoming, US; Joint Co-ordinator, CIB W123 on People in Construction.
10:31 Dr Hemanta Doloi, University of Melbourne, Australia; Co-ordinator, CIB W107 on Construction in Developing Countries.
10:36 Panel Discussion
Chair, Professor Barnabas Nawangwe, Vice-Chancellor, Makerere University, Uganda.
1. Dr. Ekkehard Ernst, Chief of the Macroeconomic Policies and Jobs Unit, ILO, Geneva.
2. Dr. Fernanda Lonardoni, Representative in México, Cuba & Centroamérica, UN-Habitat.
3. Mr. David Marcos, Project Manager, Productivity Ecosystems for Decent Work Programme, ILO, Ghana.
4. Mr. Petter Matthews, Executive Director, Engineers Against Poverty, UK.
5. Dr. Greg Munro, Director, Cities Alliance – UNOPS.
6. Mr. Darren Williams, Senior Health and Safety Advisor. European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
11:05 Question and Answer Session
Chair, Professor Barnabas Nawangwe, Vice-Chancellor, Makerere University, Uganda.
11:20 Words of Gratitude by Professor George Ofori, Co-Editor of the book.
11:22 Event ends.
Routledge Handbook on Labour in Construction and Human Settlements: The built environment at work
List of Chapters
1. Introducing the “Routledge Handbook on Labour in Construction and Human Settlements: The built environment at work” by George Ofori and Edmundo Werna
2. The built environment, construction, development and their implications for labour by George Ofori
3. Characteristics of the construction industry and construction process, and implications for labour policies and practices by George Ofori
4. Employment generation in the construction sector: Volatility and prospects by Arup Mitra
5. Differing approaches to embedding low energy construction and climate literacy into vocational education and training by Linda Clarke, Melahat Sahin-Dikmen, Christopher Winch, Vivian Price, John Calvert, Pier-Luc Bilodeau, and Evelyn Dionne
6. Green jobs and climate justice in the built environment: Lessons from American cities by Edmundo Werna, Mônica A. Haddad, Erin Ritter, and Anne Wurtenberger
7. Labour contracting, migration and wage theft in the construction industry in Qatar, China, India, US and the EU by Jill Wells
8. The precariat of the built environment: Decent work and the myth of Sisyphus by Andrés Mella
9. Human resource management and development in construction: Strategic considerations by Yaw A. Debrah, Aziz Christian Jabaru, Richard B. Nyuur, Florence Ellis, and Juliet Banoeng-Yakubo
10. Culture in construction: A driver as well as a barrier for the improvement of labour situations within construction industry by Wilco Tijhuis
11. Gender, construction work, and organisation by Maria Johansson and Kristina Johansson
12. Mistreatment of migrant construction workers: Trajectory from the past to the present and into the future by Abdul-Rashid Abdul-Aziz, AbdulLateef Olanrewaju, and Poline Bala
13. The smart city as the factory of the twenty-first century? How urban platforms reshape the nexus between the built environment, livelihoods, and labour by Jeroen Klink and Ângela Cristina Tepassê
14. Housing markets and labour markets: Towards a new research agenda for the Global South by Edmundo Werna, Ramin Keivani, and Youngha Cho
15. Social innovation of workplaces in the built environment: How public spaces have become central workplaces – Lessons from Kampala City, Uganda by Andrew Gilbert Were, Stephen Mukiibi, Michael Majale, and Barnabas Nawangwe
16. Building resilient workplaces: Prioritizing safety and disaster risk reduction for the global workforce by Jane Katz, Emma Harwood, and Olivia Nielsen
17. Impact of community on construction projects: Lessons from South Africa by C.O. Aigbavboa and I.O. Akinradewo
18. Labour, the built environment and human settlements: Lessons from the book by George Ofori and Edmundo Werna
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