Proceedings of the International Conference on Architectural Research and Design (ARDC 2025)

This is open access book.

The term Global South is more than a metaphor for underdevelopment; it encapsulates a history of colonialism, neo-imperialism, and ongoing global inequalities in wealth, resources, power, and cultural dominance (Dados & Connell, 2012). As a critical framework, it illuminates the geopolitical, socio-economic, and cultural disparities that define regions in Latin America, Asia, Africa, and Oceania—areas often marginalized in the global narrative dominated by Europe and North America. Emerging from a history of colonialism and imperialism, the concept shifts focus from development or cultural differences to geopolitical power relations and global inequalities of the North-South (Fanon, 1961). Early sociologists categorized societies as "advanced" or "primitive," often associating the latter with colonized regions, while thinkers like Antonio Gramsci and Raúl Prebisch highlighted economic and cultural marginalization. The core-periphery model, post-colonial theories, and cultural resistance movements such as the Zapatista revolt and the World Social Forum further solidified the North-South divide, the struggle for cultural sovereignty and resistance to imperialism and the legacy of colonialism (Dados & Connell, 2012). Today, the Global South represents not just underdevelopment but a site of intellectual production where ongoing struggle against global inequalities challenges the homogenizing forces of globalization.

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The Global South provides an alternative to the concept of globalization, contesting the belief in a growing homogenization of culture and society. Rather than viewing globalization as an inevitable force of uniformity, the Global South asserts itself as a space for cultural resilience, adaptability, and innovation. Terms like ruralization, desa kota, and kampung emerge as cultural and spatial counter-discourses to colonial narratives, reflecting the unique socio-spatial realities of the Global South. Through a process of inter-referencing—where regions within the Global South learn from and inspire one another, particularly following the Bandung Conference (1955) and the formation of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and Group of 77 (G77)—the Global South asserts its intellectual autonomy, fostering a knowledge system independent of the North (Gray & Gills, 2016). Here, the concept of the Global South marks a shift from a focus on cultural differences to the geopolitical structures of power that shape architectural, social, and spatial realities. This is evident in how built environments—both informal and formal—are sites of negotiation between cultural resilience, global pressures, and local agency. Global South also functions as a theoretical and intellectual framework, offering an alternative way of thinking critically about space, identity, and development in architecture and urbanism. This shift enables the theorization of architecture, urbanism, and cultural identity from the perspective of the Global South, reclaiming agency in shaping its built environment.

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This conference showcases how architectural practices in the Global South contest dominant narrative and highlight spaces, cultures, and histories that are often dominated by the global north. With the increase of cultural homogenization, this conference puts forward the concept of architecture as a tool for recovering power and identity, which promotes transformative and contextualized approaches towards the built environment. From informal settlements to traditional urban fabrics, architecture in the margins offers responses to socio-political and environmental challenges, pushing the boundaries of innovation, sustainability, and cultural relevance. This conference fosters a dialogue that respects diversity in architectural narratives and honors localized responses to global challenges, creating a more inclusive and representative architectural discourse.