Due to its mountainous geography with rivers running through deep valleys, Northern Kurdistan's landscape has always been perceived as a central threat by the Turkish state. Especially since the 1990s, with the impact of the war, the ecological destruction of the region became more systematic. Controlling the rivers by constructing dams has turned into a military strategy in the hands of the state. Focusing on the Tigris River and its tributaries, this paper traces the processes through which infrastructures and ecologies are coproduced in an ongoing war and the ways in which ecologies enable, extend, and resist enduring violence. Taking the river both as an object and an actor in the unfolding of violent relations, it seeks to answer how water materializes as state power, becomes the terrain of dispossession, and functions as a sign of belonging or loss in different moments in Northern Kurdistan. Accordingly, it argues, as that which is both controlled, and uncontrollable, by human and state forces, the Tigris becomes an emblem of and vehicle for the violence and limits of colonial and national power in Upper Tigris Basin.

The project investigates the adaptability of permaculture within humanitarian aid frameworks in conflict zones, focusing on enhancing permaculture practices to promote self-reliance and economic stability, and its implications on democratization in Syria, Palestine, and Iraq. This research posits that integrating permaculture practices, particularly solar stills for desalination and forward osmosis, within humanitarian aid frameworks in areas like Gaza can significantly enhance self-reliance and economic stability, fostering democratization through community engagement and reduced aid dependency. A rigorous mixed-methods approach forms the backbone of this study, incorporating qualitative case studies and in-depth interviews with diverse stakeholders such as farmers, NGO workers, and government officials in conflict-affected regions. This qualitative data will be complemented by quantitative surveys distributed to beneficiaries of aid programs and statistical analysis of trends related to sustainable agriculture, food security, and aid reliance. By synthesizing multiple sources, this comprehensive methodology aims to assess the multidimensional impacts of sustainable agricultural practices in conflict zones. Through an extensive literature review, the paper outlines proven sustainable agricultural techniques including solar energy desalination, which provides renewable drinking water, and anaerobic digestion of organic waste to produce bioenergy and natural fertilizers. Case studies of Gaza demonstrate these technologies’ potential to alleviate water scarcity for crop irrigation and enable closed-loop farming systems. Interviews and surveys are anticipated to reveal enhanced food security, economic stability, and autonomy in communities adopting these sustainable practices integrated with humanitarian aid. This research underscores the urgent need for adaptive and sustainable strategies to mitigate food insecurity exacerbated by protracted conflicts. Conventional aid paradigms frequently foster aid dependency without addressing underlying causes. However, sustainable agricultural practices like permaculture, which integrates water purification, bioenergy, and resilient farming, can provide a blueprint for self-sufficiency. The research advocates pivoting investments towards integrating solar desalination, forward osmosis, and permaculture within humanitarian frameworks. This approach is expected to enhance ecological resilience, economic stability, and community empowerment within conflict-affected regions by catalyzing a localized circular economy. These findings aim to compel a re-evaluation of humanitarian aid through a sustainability lens.

This paper investigates the phenomenon of veganism’s emergence in Tel Aviv, Israel, during the 2010s and the correlating rise of the pervasive influence of neoliberal economic values. Amidst a heightened awareness of animal rights issues during this period, Tel Aviv, a core city within Israel’s economy, experienced a notable surge in vegans, known as the “vegan revolution.” While previous research within the field of Critical Animal Studies has highlighted the shift towards depoliticization in Israeli animal rights activism post-2010s, it has frequently overlooked the interplay between economic factors and the trajectory of the movement. Drawing parallels with the feminist and LGBTQ+ rights movements, where the impact of neoliberalism on rights-based movements is evident, this paper underscores the necessity of investigating the nexus between animal rights and neoliberal economics. Central to this analysis is a consideration of the deliberations and initiatives undertaken by Tel Aviv’s municipal committees concerning veganism and animal rights during the 2010s, along with an examination of related movements and developments within the food industry, including the promotion and expansion of the burgeoning field of alternative meat production, as documented in archival material. The implementation of such a comprehensive approach unequivocally reveals that beyond the political rationales driving the surge in veganism, economic imperatives are equally pivotal. Specifically, municipal policies in Tel Aviv tend to emphasize the sustainability and public health dimensions of veganism to make it more palatable to the populace. Simultaneously, animal rights activism has increasingly prioritized collaboration with corporate entities, framing veganism as a matter of personal choice, which shifts the focus away from the image of a movement that takes a confrontational stance against animal exploitation. Additionally, the growing emphasis on alternative meat production and the burgeoning food technology sector underscore how deeply entangled veganism is with the economic growth of the city. In summary, this paper highlights the notable trend of depoliticizing veganism so that its potential as a tool for socio-political critique and activism is overshadowed by its portrayal as a lifestyle choice compatible with neoliberal economic principles. By positioning veganism as a seemingly apolitical phenomenon, Tel Aviv's neoliberal economic development not only accommodates but benefits from the ever-increasing popularity and growth of veganism without having it disrupt the prevailing economic paradigm, facilitating more mainstream acceptance of veganism within the city’s socio-economic fabric.