You can view the bilingual final reports from both the Spring and Fall 2010 MIT@Lawrence Practicum courses online:
Archive for the 'Spring 2010' Category
What do you do when an Italian energy conglomerate owns the alleyways, canals and dam of one of America’s earliest industrial cities and the people of the city want those assets back?
A poster advertising course 11.423: Information, Assets and the Immigrant City sparked controversy when it first appeared along the corridors of Buildings 7 and 9 at MIT in early February 2010. The poster’s question referred to the ongoing debate in the City of Lawrence, Massachusetts over ownership of the alleyways and canals in the city. Some say these spaces are owned by the Enel Corporation, the Italian energy conglomerate that, many believe, assumed ownership of these assets when it bought the Essex Company, the group that first constructed the city. Others argue that the City government is the rightful owner; still others maintain that abutters (property owners whose land is immediately adjacent to an alleyway, for example) own them. While the debate continues over ownership, some residents have tried to maintain the spaces, but most of the alleys and canals have fallen into grave disrepair.
So what do you do? To find out, download and read the final report, Taking Back Lawrence and watch the class reflections. You can also read more about the class’s journey via a series of CoLab Radio posts found below.
- “What Do You Do?” March 17, 2010.
- “Who’s Got the Power?” March 27, 2010.
- “Findings on City Alleyways and Canals.” April 22, 2010.
- “Bringing Together Lawrence 8th Graders and MIT Grad Students.” May 2, 2010.
- “Lawrence Practicum: Final Presentation.” June 3, 2010.