This is a different kind of post. For the first time, I am sharing a fiction short story that I wrote. Disaster Trials is a short story set in Athens 2035 written for the general public, including youth and people who enjoy creative twists on Greek mythology. While the story is fiction, the setting and… Continue reading Disaster Trials. Athens 2035.
Author: aphroditeb
Cities, Gods and Disasters
Cities, Gods and Disasters: Warnings from the Ancient Greeks Atlantis may be the most widely known glorious city that disappeared into the sea, submerged by an angry Poseidon, ancient Greek god of the oceans and storms. The Atlantis story appeared in the Greek antiquity world, but it captured imaginations far beyond the Mediterranean and into… Continue reading Cities, Gods and Disasters
Getting to Know Greek Cinema, Films and History
In this resource page, I explore and share an overview of Greek film and cinema. While this topic is not a central urban issue, film and creative industries flourish in urban environments, and in turn may shape urban life. Rather than stretch this justification, I will just admitted that I am curious about this topic… Continue reading Getting to Know Greek Cinema, Films and History
Athens sets an example for how cities can address extreme heat
Chief Heat Officer of Athens Eleni Myrivili visits Vancouver to speak at a global event* April 2022, Aphrodite Bouikidis This article was originally published in the May 2022 edition (p. 4) of the regional Hellenic newspaper Gnomi. The paper was published from 1988 to August 2022, when editor Kostas Karatsikis passed away. This is in… Continue reading Athens sets an example for how cities can address extreme heat
The Story of Greeks in Vancouver
The Story of Greeks in Vancouver – A Pharos Lecture Event featuring Sophia Karasouli-Milobar This article was originally published in the April 2020 edition (p. 17) of the regional Hellenic newspaper Gnomi. The paper was published from 1988 to August 2022, when editor Kostas Karatsikis passed away. This is in his memory. Greeks are known… Continue reading The Story of Greeks in Vancouver
Urban Studies, Recovering from COVID-19 and Lessons for the Future of the City
During the first year of the pandemic, I had the opportunity to be part of the team that delivered a series of monthly online panel discussions called Pandemonium: Urban Studies and Recovering from COVID-19. Simon Fraser University (SFU) Urban Studies in collaboration with SFU Public Square and with financial support from the Initiative in Urban… Continue reading Urban Studies, Recovering from COVID-19 and Lessons for the Future of the City
3 Ways Social Entrepreneurship Can Create A Resilient Ecosystem In Greece
This is a piece I wrote in November 2014, as the founder and launch director of Ashoka Greece. This was one year after I arrived in Greece. The article was originally published in Forbes on November 6, 2014 here, as part of series of posts from the Ashoka community. I updated some of the links,… Continue reading 3 Ways Social Entrepreneurship Can Create A Resilient Ecosystem In Greece
Writing Prompts
I spent over four years working on social innovation and resilience strategies for cities and participating in global city networks. During this time, I lived in Athens and Thessaloniki, and visited several European cities. This inspired me to begin a graduate program in Urban Studies in the fall of 2019. Most of my time in… Continue reading Writing Prompts
Urban Sketching in a Pandemic
It took a pandemic to get me to start drawing again. Specifically: urban sketching. Sketching is not a requirement of urban studies. Or is it, and I somehow slipped by…? At the same time, I find myself often wondering how I am not already doing this. Can I be an urbanist if I am not… Continue reading Urban Sketching in a Pandemic