Class Politics in the (Re) Making of Space: Displacing the Urban Poor in Kolkata, India

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 43-62
Author(s):  
Anurupa Roy
Keyword(s):  
Urban Space ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Urban Poor ◽  
Planning Process ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Analytical Framework ◽  
Shopping Malls ◽  
Class Politics ◽  
Marxist Approach

In the wake of the neoliberal turn in India, the focus on urban areas has gained importance in the planning process at various geographical scales. Urban space making and restructuring processes are evident in the form of various physical infrastructural undertakings and developmental projects such as bridges, flyovers and other lines of transportation, also upscale shopping malls, plush residential buildings devoted to residential and recreational uses. The (re)making of urban spaces is subject to intense conflicts both from above and below, since it is a contradictory socio-economic process based on conflicting class interests. However, in the current literature inspired primarily by post-structuralism that examines urban space, the emphasis is unduly on the politics of urban subalterns. This literature prioritizes a plethora of everyday practices on the part of the disenfranchised population in response to the top-down developmental politics. Such an approach is undialectical: it ignores the fact that the (re)creation of urban space is a combined result of the struggles from above reflecting the interests of the ruling classes and its state in accumulation, and the struggles from below represented by the subordinate classes, reflecting their interests in their own reproduction. Urban space (re)making must be studied in its totality. Through an analysis of empirical materials based on a study of the poorer (low-income) segments of the urban working class in India, I assert that a Marxist approach provides a better analytical framework to understand the politics of the urban subordinate class, in which the emphasis is on class struggle that complexly intertwines with other socio-spatial schisms in the society.

scholarly journals Where Do I Allocate My Urban Allotment Gardens? Development of a Site Selection Tool for Three Cities in Benin

Land ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 318
Author(s):  
B. G. J. S. Sonneveld ◽  
M. D. Houessou ◽  
G. J. M. van den Boom ◽  
A. Aoudji
Keyword(s):  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Urban Agriculture ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Urban Poor ◽  
Site Suitability ◽  
Rapid Urbanization ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Support Tool ◽  
Allotment Gardens

In the context of rapid urbanization, poorer residents in cities across low- and middle-income countries increasingly experience food and nutrition deficiencies. The United Nations has highlighted urban agriculture (UA) as a viable solution to food insecurity, by empowering the urban poor to produce their own fresh foods and make some profit from surplus production. Despite its potential role in reducing poverty and food insecurity, there appears to be little political will to support urban agriculture. This is seen in unclear political mandates that are sustained by information gaps on selection criteria for UA sites. The research reported here addresses this issue in the form of a decision-making support tool that assesses the suitability of cadastral units and informal plots for allotment gardens in urban and peri-urban areas. The tool was developed and tested for three rapidly expanding cities in Benin, a low-income country in West Africa, based on an ordered logit model that relates a set of 300 expert assessments on site suitability to georeferenced information on biophysical and socio-economic characteristics. Soil, land use, groundwater depth, vicinity to market and women’s safety were significant factors in the assessment. Scaled up across all cadastral units and informal sites, the tool generated detailed baseline maps on site suitability and availability of areas. Its capacity to support policymakers in selecting appropriate sites comes to the fore by reporting changes in site suitability under scenarios of improved soil fertility and enhanced safety for women.

scholarly journals Textualities of the city – from the legibility of urban space towards social and natural others in planning

2016 ◽  
Vol 44 (1/2) ◽  
pp. 34-52 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tiit Remm
Keyword(s):  
Urban Space ◽  
Planning Process ◽  
Urban Landscape ◽  
Local Environment ◽  
Analytical Framework ◽  
City Centre ◽  
Semiotic System ◽  
Equal Degree ◽  
Moscow School ◽  
The City

‘Text’ has been a frequent notion in analytical conceptualizations of landscape and the city. It is mostly found in analyses of textual representations or suggestions concerning a metaphor of “reading” an (urban) landscape. In the Tartu- Moscow School of Semiotics the idea of the text of St. Petersburg has also been applied in analysing particular cities as organizing topics in literature and in culture more widely, but it has not happened to an equal degree in studies of actual urban spaces. The understanding of text as a semiotic system and mechanism is, however, more promising than revealed by these conceptions. Some potential can be made apparent by relating this textual paradigm to a more pragmatic understanding of the city and its planning. My project in this paper is to uncover an analytical framework focusing on the concepts of ‘text’, ‘textualization’ and ‘texting’ in studying the planning of urban environment. The paper observes the case of the urban planning process of the Tartu city centre in Estonia during 2010–2016, and is particularly concerned with the roles that urban nature has acquired in the process of this “textualization” of the local environment, societal ideals, practices and possible others.

scholarly journals Rethinking inclusive city development amid COVID-19: the Indonesia context

2021 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 71-82
Author(s):  
Giska Raissa ◽  
Filia Christy ◽  
Sandhy Sihotang ◽  
Karen Wijaya
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Urban Poor ◽  
City Development ◽  
Indonesian Population ◽  
The World ◽  
Vulnerable People ◽  
Future Challenges

Currently, cities all over the world are experiencing pressures caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, including cities in Indonesia. Studies show that the number of poor has been increasing since the spread of COVID-19, mostly in urban areas. Recent news indicates that the pandemic has the potential to add millions of new urban poor due to the threat of future layoffs faced by low-income people. The current condition in Indonesia’s urban areas indicates exclusion of the urban poor, which underlines the need for inclusive city development. Indeed, this crisis exposes the exclusion of vulnerable people, reveals deep inequalities in society and exacerbates the existing inequality among the Indonesian population. Because of the ongoing disruptions that arise in urban areas, the COVID-19 pandemic offers the opportunity to rethink the importance of inclusive city development so that they may become thriving cities for all. Besides, this study also argues that only inclusive cities can grow and thrive under all circumstances and future challenges. This paper discusses how to transform challenges amid COVID-19 to opportunities that can promote inclusive city development.   Abstrak. Saat ini, kota-kota di seluruh dunia sedang mengalami tekanan akibat pandemi COVID-19, termasuk kota-kota di Indonesia. Studi menunjukkan bahwa jumlah penduduk miskin terus meningkat sejak penyebaran COVID-19 yang umumnya terjadi di wilayah perkotaan. Berita terbaru menunjukkan bahwa pandemi berpotensi menambah jutaan orang miskin baru di perkotaan akibat ancaman PHK di masa depan yang dihadapi oleh masyarakat berpenghasilan rendah. Kondisi perkotaan di Indonesia saat ini menunjukkan eksklusi dari kaum miskin kota, yang menggarisbawahi perlunya pembangunan kota yang inklusif. Memang, krisis ini mengekspos pengucilan orang-orang yang rentan, mengungkapkan ketidaksetaraan yang dalam di masyarakat dan memperburuk ketimpangan yang ada di antara penduduk Indonesia. Karena gangguan yang terus menerus muncul di perkotaan, pandemi COVID-19 menawarkan kesempatan untuk memikirkan kembali pentingnya pembangunan kota yang inklusif sehingga dapat menjadi kota yang berkembang untuk semua. Selain itu, studi ini juga berkesimpulan bahwa hanya kota inklusif yang dapat tumbuh dan berkembang dalam segala situasi dan tantangan di masa depan. Makalah ini membahas bagaimana mengubah tantangan di tengah COVID-19 menjadi peluang yang dapat mendorong pembangunan kota yang inklusif.   Kata kunci. kota inklusif, pengembangan kota, COVID-19, Indonesia.

scholarly journals Evaluation and Planning Decision on Façade Greening Made Easy—Integration in BIM and Implementation of an Automated Design Process

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (16) ◽  
pp. 9387
Author(s):  
Jutta Hollands ◽  
Azra Korjenic
Keyword(s):  
Urban Space ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Planning Process ◽  
Information Modeling ◽  
Sustainable Urban Development ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Building Information ◽  
Planning Processes ◽  
Planning Decision ◽  
Easy Integration

Façade greening at the intersection between buildings and urban space offers an optimal opportunity to integrate greenery into increasingly dense cities and influence the microclimate and contribute to high quality of life in urban areas. Despite proven numerous positive effects, there is still a lack of implementation and practical relevance is low until now. To integrate existing greening systems directly into future planning processes and thus keep up with the advancing digitalization in the building sector, an integration of these systems into Building Information Modeling (BIM) is urgently needed and in connection to this, the implementation of an automated planning process to support easier realization of greening projects contributing to a sustainable urban development. Therefore, BIM objects were created for five façade greening systems after analyzing the necessary basic data. Subsequently, an automated process was used to optimize the time-consuming conventional planning process of façade greening, with the aim of evaluating the simulated greening variants based on defined parameters. A case study presents the application of the prototypes and the possible calculations over the life cycle of the building. This development holds great potential by simplifying the process of decision-making and placing façade greenery on buildings.

scholarly journals Perpetual ‘Outcasts’? Squatters in peri-urban Bulawayo, Zimbabwe

Afrika Focus ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Busani Mpofu
Keyword(s):  
Urban Space ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Urban Poor ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Urban Migration ◽  
Informal Economies ◽  
Hard Times ◽  
Housing Shortages ◽  
Urban Development Policy

After independence in 1980 Zimbabwe’s cities experienced a proliferation in the number of squatter camps. This was because of the failure of the urban economy to offer adequate housing and jobs, leaving peri-urban space as the only sanctuary for the urban poor to live in and eke out a living informally. The promotion of rural ‘growth points’ by the national government to promote rural development to discourage migration to urban areas failed. Yet, a poor policy response by the state to this negative outcome of rapid urbanisation that aims to reverse this rural-urban migration has led to unending confrontations between its various arms and squatters who continue to be regarded as encroachers. Focussing on Bulawayo, the second largest city in Zimbabwe, and based on interviews, archival research, Council minutes and newspapers, this article critiques the state’s urban development policy vis-à-vis squatters and informality. It is argued that the persist- ence of a salient perception by government officials that all Africans belong to rural areas and have access to land they can fall back on in hard times serves as a vital lubricant to the state’s action of forcibly sending squatters to rural areas. This ignores the historical pattern of rapid urbanisation and the growth of informal economies supporting the livelihoods of thousands of people. I seek to add to the literature on low-cost housing shortages, urban squatters and peri-urbanism in Zim- babwe and on studies of informality in Third World cities in general. Key words: squatters, outcasts, informality, institutional weaknesses, peri-urban Bulawayo, Zimbabwe 

Kaantabay Sa Kauswagan: Empowering the Urban Poor in Naga City, Philippines

2005 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 56-59
Author(s):  
Wilfredo Prilles
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Urban Poor ◽  
Central Government ◽  
City Government ◽  
Political Will ◽  
The Poor ◽  
Resources And Capabilities ◽  
Vital Factor

Initiated in 1989, the KsK programme (literally Partners in Development) shows how a tri-partite approach of pooling resources and capabilities of private landowners, city and central government and the poor can be used to improve urban living conditions. Strong political will and an enlightened perception of the poor has enabled a city government to reduce poverty, manage urbanisation and improve quality of life in urban areas. Eighty-one per cent of the 7,400 low-income houses have been improved to date. Strong community participation has been a vital factor in achieving this success.

scholarly journals From taking money to making money: SPARC, NSDF and Mahila Milan transform low-income shelter options in India

2018 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 85-102 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sheela Patel ◽  
Aseena Viccajee ◽  
Jockin Arputham
Keyword(s):  
Community Development ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Urban Poor ◽  
City Development ◽  
New Approach ◽  
Financial Architecture ◽  
Grassroots Groups ◽  
Entrepreneurial Behaviour ◽  
Low Income Households

In India, a new approach to finance has been transforming shelter options for low-income households and supporting community-led development over recent decades. This paper examines the financial architecture developed to support hundreds of community-driven efforts by grassroots groups working in alliance with the Mumbai-based NGO SPARC. Much has been written about this Alliance’s work, but its financial architecture has had little attention. This paper seeks to explain how grants given for grassroots community development in urban areas can produce new forms of entrepreneurial behaviour among the urban poor, showing how they can design and execute large projects with the expertise gained from more modest efforts. It also shows how this Alliance has managed, invested and revolved these grants and other sources of funding, including its own savings, to leverage resources and opportunities for inclusive city development.

Chinese Transition to a Consumer Society and its Reflection on the Urban Landscape

2011 ◽  
Vol 243-249 ◽  
pp. 6457-6460
Author(s):  
Ming Xiao
Keyword(s):  
Public Space ◽  
Urban Space ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Urban Landscape ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Shopping Mall ◽  
Initial Reaction ◽  
Consumer Society ◽  
Shopping Malls ◽  
Social Scene

China’s newly constructed shopping malls in the urban areas have greatly changed citizens’ shopping and living habits, altering the fabric of the urban space, and modifying the social scene. The citizen’s initial reaction to this development is hot pursuit that eventually gives way to boredom. This paper discusses the relationship between the shopping mall and the urban environment, from the point of view of public space. It shows public space ruled and controlled in the shopping mall. It shows that urban shopping malls do not respond to the citizens expectations and demands for public space, and that the citizens’ need for social public space is irreplaceable. Ultimately, this paper points out that to the need for further research in the area of public space, it must to fulfill the needs of city dwellers.

scholarly journals The Use of Vibra Engine to Enhance Batako Industrial Quality at Urban Area

2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 7
Author(s):  
Totok Dwi Kuryanto ◽  
Irawati Irawati ◽  
Nanang Saiful Rizal
Keyword(s):  
Urban Communities ◽  
Rural Community ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Urban Poor ◽  
Added Value ◽  
Concrete Compressive Strength ◽  
The Poor ◽  
Economic Level ◽  
The City

The main objective of the Technology for the Society (IbM) is aimed at addressing the main problems faced by approximately 200 urban poor, namely: (1) The location of the residence located on the edge of the city with a distance society of about 10 km from urban areas. (2) Low economic level or low income about Rp.600.000 / month so it can not meet the basic needs and lift the economy of the surrounding community. The specific target in this IbM program is to apply Batako engine utilization technology to improve the quality and quantity of local Batako production of marginalized urban communities which originally produced only Batako blocks of about 200 seeds to 1000 seeds per day and increased concrete compressive strength. from 175 Kg / cm2 to 225 Kg / cm2, thereby increasing employment for the surrounding communities and increasing the income of business actors and partner workers. The method of implementation to solve the problems of the program partners of IbM is to increase the added value of community income through the utilization of Batako chili type which includes the stages: (a) Thesocialization of Batako IbM program; (b) Preparing social prerequisites, such as strengthening rural community groups, groups and forums as a medium to meet and solve problems faced by farmers or the poor; (c) Implementation of Batako IbM program, supported by related institutions (Dinas Cipta Karya Kabupaten Lumajang and University (Faculty of Engineering, Muhammadiyah University of Jember), and (d) Monitoring, evaluation and reporting.

scholarly journals Analysis of Space Manipulation in an Informal Urban Settlement: The Case of Ng’ombe in Lusaka, Zambia

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (6) ◽  
pp. 41
Author(s):  
Jonathan Simbeya Mwamba
Keyword(s):  
Built Environment ◽  
Urban Space ◽  
Urban Poor ◽  
Informal Settlement ◽  
Analytical Framework ◽  
Human Interaction ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Urban Informality ◽  
Urban Settlement

Urban informality remains a consistent challenge and matter of debate by planners and policymakers in the urbanising cities of sub-Saharan Africa. A common manifestation of urban informality in African cities is the sprawling informal settlements that constitute the only available housing option for the majority of the urban poor. The analysis of informal urban settlement’s environmental composition, physical modelling and socio-economic and policy analysis have been areas of recent study. However there is limited literature on how the urban poor communities in Zambia manipulate their social, spatial and economic environments to meet their needs. This article seeks to broaden the knowledge base on the way informal urban settlement communities manipulate their urban space. The built environment provides the setting for human interaction and the explanatory theory of Environment-Behaviour Relations provides a suitable analytical framework for the identification of useful parameters for developing future settlement interventions. The study employs a case study method of research to analyse the informal urban settlement settings. Ng’ombe, a peri-urban informal settlement in Lusaka, Zambia is the case study location for this research. Analysis of social, spatial and economic environment at neighbourhood level provides vital information about the informal urban settlement conditions. The study in particular addresses the question of how the social-spatial circumstances of the informal urban population in the developing world influence and defines their built environment. The study shows that systems of settings and system of activities in Ng’ombe offer a suitable analytical framework for studying the settlement characteristics that can guide in formulating strategies for settlement regularisation. Residents devise means of adapting and manipulating their informal urban space to suit their immediate needs and they also devise livelihood coping strategies in the midst of their informal settings. The paper likewise contributes to the growing body of knowledge in urban informality.

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