Global Encounters: New Visions Department of Geography and Planning Journal Volume 1 | Spring 2021 Table of contents Letter from the editors........................................................................................................................................3 Contributors.........................................................................................................................................................4 Articles The fiscalization of the rent gap: Vacant land, taxation, and urban development in Ottawa’s Centretown neighbourhood...............................................................................................................................7 Art deco and corporate communism: The influence of the American skyscraper on Stalinist architecture.........................................................................................................................................................34 The importance of population density and movement in the 2002-2003 SARS pandemic..................48 The implications of COVID-19 on the Los Angeles homeless population: An evaluation of the shortcomings of LA county’s response..........................................................................................................57 Shock doctrine and disesase: Examining COVID-19 in North American Cities....................................64 Book reviews The strata of society and the peer-review process: How the first geologic map of the United Kingdom braved both......................................................................................................................................70 Posters Socio-economic implications of gentrification in San Francisco...............................................................73 Less is more: H&M’s path towards sustainable fashion ..............................................................................85 Ethical voluntourism: Rethinking orphanage tourism.................................................................................94 ExxonMobil to offset greenhouse gas emissions through wind and solar energy investments 104 The deadly consequences of fast fashion.....................................................................................................113 How does Bayer overcome the reputational blow of acquiring Monsanto?..........................................120 The impact of fulfillment centres on minority groups..............................................................................129 Starbucks: Becoming ethically sound and genuinely green.......................................................................140 Global Encounters: New Visions Journal | Spring 2021 2 Letter from the editors On behalf of the Editorial Team, we are proud to present you the first volume of Global Encounters: New Visions (GENV)- the Undergraduate Geography & Planning Journal managed and edited by Graduate Geography & Planning students. This (new) annual publication will showcase exemplary undergraduate work in the fields of geography and planning at Queen’s University. The 2020-2021 academic year produced remarkable pieces of research and writing across several streams of geography, in spite of a lengthy pandemic. Thank you to the many students who submitted their papers for publications – we were spoilt for choice in just our first year. GENV is a testament to the incredible, often under-appreciated diversity of topics explored in the field of geography. This volume includes submissions that cover gentrification in Ottawa, analyses of unethical practices in global supply chains, power imbalances across scales during the COVID pandemic, art parallels across history, and much more. This journal could not have been put together without the collaborative efforts of our dedicated editors and talented authors who graciously offered their time to help make this project a reality. Furthermore, we would like to thank the department of Geography and Planning at Queen’s University for promoting our work as we move forward with making GENV an annual publication and our legacy. We certainly hope you enjoy the first volume of GENV Journal, Kimberly Hill-Tout (Editor-in-Chief and Managing Editor) Hilal Kara (Editing Coordinator) Kiera McMaster (Journal Design Manager) Megan Herod Nathalia Santos Ocasio Elizabeth Nelson Martina Jakubchik-Paloheimo Charlene Monaco Tabatha Rahman Mark Ouseley Cedelle Pereira Global Encounters: New Visions Journal | Spring 2021 3 Contributors Articles Evan Saunders The Fiscalization of the Rent Gap: Vacant land, taxation, and urban development in Ottawa’s Centretown neighbourhood Evan Saunders is currently pursuing a Master of Planning (M. PL) degree at Queen’s University’s School of Urban and Regional Planning (Graduation, 2022). Prior to graduate studies, Evan completed a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree in Geography from Carleton University (Graduation, 2020) – in which this thesis was a degree-required research project. During his undergraduate studies, he concentrated on issues relating to urban and economic geography. Evan’s work in his graduate studies focuses on the implications of urban morphology and existing urban structures in determining the developmental potential of dead malls in an attempt to combat sprawl. Joanna Gorska Art deco and corporate communism: The influence of the American skyscraper on Stalinist architecture Joanna Gorska is a first year PhD candidate specializing in Eastern European and Russian History. Her research is primarily focused on revolutionary movements in the Russian Empire, and how they coincided with European intellectual trends. Her supervisor is Professor Ana Siljak. Nicholas Yue The importance of popluation density and movement in the 2002-2003 SARS pandemic I am from Hong Kong and came to Queen’s in 2017, currently in 4th year of the undergraduate program majoring in Human Geography. I will be graduating this year and moving on to do a Master of Arts in Health Geography at the University of Toronto in Fall 2021. My research interests centre around modern infectious diseases and the factors that contribute to their spread. In my spare time I enjoy playing badminton both competitively and recreationally. Katherine Moir COVID-19 and homelessness in Los Angeles My name is Katherine (Kate) Moir. I am a fourth year student at Queen’s University completing a bachelor of arts honours with a major in Geography and a minor in Global Development Studies. Throughout my undergrad, I have also been working towards a certificate in Geographic Information Science (GIS) and a certificate in Urban Planning Studies (URPS-C-UPS). My interests lie primarily in Health Geography and it is something I am hoping to pursue in a master’s degree and my work in the future. Jonah Baetz Shock doctorine and disease: Examining COVID-19 in North American cities I am a graduating fourth year student at Queen’s University. I am majoring in geography and focusing specifically on urban planning and political economy. More specifically, my interests are in how privatization and shifting modes of capitalist production affect cityscapes. My fourth year thesis is looking at southeastern Turkey and how racial capitalism is used to justify dispossessive dam projects in predominantly Kurdish regions. Global Encounters: New Visions Journal | Spring 2021 4 Book reviews Lindsay Trottier The strata of society and the peer-review process: How the first geologic map of the United Kingdom braved both Lindsay Trottier is pursuing a Master of Science degree in Geography and Environmental Studies at Carleton University in Ottawa, Ontario. Her thesis examines the spatial and temporal patterns of algal abundance and community composition in the Rideau Waterway. In her free time, she enjoys spending time near water, biking, and cooking. Posters George Hodges-Maley Socio-economic implications of gentrification in San Fransciso George Hodges-Maley is a first year undergraduate student in the Faculty of Arts and Science at Queen’s University, majoring in Human Geography, with a particular interest in urban geography. Yashriya Lochav Less is more: H&M’s path towards sustainable fashion Yashriya Lohchav is a first year Commerce student at Queen’s University. She is passionate about sustainable business, specifically in the form of impact-based investing. In her free time, she enjoys reading, documentaries and puzzles. Nicole Robb Ethical voluntourism: Rethinking orphanage tourism Nicole Robb is in her second year of studying Liberal Arts online part-time through Queen’s University. She holds an Honours Bachelor of Science from the University of Guelph and a Certificate in Creative Writing from the University of Toronto’s School of Continuing Studies. She currently works fulltime for the Ontario Public Service and, when she is not busy working or studying, she enjoys travelling throughout the world and has a lifelong dream of visiting every country on the planet. Olivia DeDecker ExxonMobil to offset greenhouse gas emissions through wind and solar energy investments Olivia DeDecker is a first-year student at Queens University in Kingston, Ontario Canada. She is working towards completing her Bachelor of Health Sciences and hopes to one day complete her Masters of Physical Therapy. Though her focus of study is health sciences, Olivia is also passionate about the environment and continues to learn about environmental preservation. Danielle Pinder The deadly consequences of fast fashion Danielle Pinder is a third-year student