scholarly journals “A Good Place for the Poor!” Counternarratives to Territorial Stigmatisation from Two Informal Settlements in Dhaka

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-65 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kazi Nazrul Fattah ◽  
Peter Walters
Keyword(s):  
Informal Settlement ◽  
Informal Settlements ◽  
Ethnographic Research ◽  
Access To Services ◽  
Associational Life ◽  
Discursive Formation ◽  
Good Place ◽  
Shared Experiences ◽  
The Poor ◽  
The City

<p>With many cities in the Global South experiencing immense growth in informal settlements, city authorities frequently try to assert control over these settlements and their inhabitants through coercive measures such as threats of eviction, exclusion, blocked access to services and other forms of structural violence. Such coercive control is legitimized through the discursive formation of informal settlements as criminal and unsanitary, and of the residents as migrants and as temporary and illegitimate settlers. Using findings from ethnographic research carried out in two informal settlements in Dhaka, Bangladesh, this article explores how informal settlement residents engage with and resist territorial stigma in a rapidly growing Southern megacity. Findings show residents resist stigmatising narratives of neighbourhood blame by constructing counternarratives that frame informal settlements as a “good place for the poor.” These place-based narratives emerge from shared experiences of informality and associational life in a city where such populations are needed yet unwanted. While residents of these neighbourhoods are acutely aware of the temporariness and illegality of unauthorised settlements, these narratives produce solidarities to resist eviction and serve to legitimise their claim to the city.</p>

scholarly journals Architecture & Legitimacy: Strategies for the Development of Urban Informal Settlements

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachel D. Pressick
Keyword(s):  
Urban Poor ◽  
Social Economic ◽  
Informal Settlement ◽  
Informal Settlements ◽  
Global City ◽  
The People ◽  
Urban Informal Settlements ◽  
Cultural Networks ◽  
The City ◽  
Autonomous Development

Currently, 1 in 6 people live in slums, or informal settlements in cities throughout the developing world. They are built illegally and are characterized by lack of proper sanitation, unsafe housing, and crowded living conditions. Despite their appearance, informal settlements are legitimate communities; they are vibrant, with sophisticated social, economic and cultural networks that support the livelihoods of residents who call them home. These communities give the urban poor a physical place within the city, giving them access to the opportunities and advantages that the current age of the 'global city' can offer to any willing participant. As architects who see the responsibility in choosing the informal settlement as a realm for engagement, this thesis proposes that any architectural intervention be mindful of the importance of the networks contained within the streets and buildings of the informal settlement. By preserving the built-fabric of the settlement, the architect legitimizes the settlement's density and scale, while ensuring the urban poor have a physical place in the city. They have managed to develop their own communities without any investment from outside forces, any intervention should only support that autonomous development. These structures, as well as the people and activities with them, are vital to the survival of residents of informal settlements.

scholarly journals ELECTRICITY INFRASTRUCTURE PLANNING: EVALUATING SOLAR POTENTIAL ASSESSMENTS FOR INFORMAL SETTLEMENTS USING GRASS AND FREELY AVAILABLE DATA

2018 ◽  
Vol XLII-4/W8 ◽  
pp. 69-76
Author(s):  
L. Hassim ◽  
S. Coetzee ◽  
V. Rautenbach
Keyword(s):  
Informal Settlement ◽  
Informal Settlements ◽  
Urban Fringe ◽  
Safe Alternative ◽  
Open Source Gis ◽  
Basic Services ◽  
Alternative Sources ◽  
Gis Software ◽  
The City ◽  
Electricity Infrastructure

<p><strong>Abstract.</strong> Informal settlements, also known as slums or shanty towns, are characterised by rapid and unstructured expansion, poorly constructed buildings, and in some cases, they are on disputed land. Such settlements often lack basic services, such as electricity. As a result, informal settlement dwellers turn to hazardous alternative sources of energy, such as illegal electricity connections and paraffin. Solar power is a clean and safe alternative. However, informal settlements are often located on undesirable land on the urban fringe where the topography may hinder the use of solar energy. The high density of dwellings could also be a hindrance. Therefore, the solar potential needs to be assessed before any implementations are planned. Solar potential assessment functionality is generally available in geographic information system (GIS) products. The nature, cost and accessibility of datasets required for the assessment vary significantly. In this paper, we evaluate the results of solar potential assessments using GRASS (Geographic Resources Analysis Support System) for a number of different datasets. The assessments were done for two informal settlements in the City of Tshwane (South Africa): Alaska, which is nestled on a hill; and Phomolong, a densely populated settlement with a rather flat topography. The results show that solar potential assessments with open source GIS software and freely available data are feasible. This eliminates the need for lengthy and bureaucratic procurement processes and reduces the financial costs of assessing solar potential for informal settlements.</p>

scholarly journals TRANSITION FROM INFORMAL TO SUSTAINABLE SETTLEMENT

2020 ◽  
pp. 44-49
Author(s):  
Merdassa Feven Tariku
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Addis Ababa ◽  
Informal Settlement ◽  
Informal Settlements ◽  
Research Problem ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
Governmental Organizations ◽  
Non Governmental Organizations ◽  
The City

The article is devoted to the features of informal settlement in Addis Ababa and the role of governmental and non-governmental organizations and public participation in the sustainable development of informal settlements. The purpose of the article is to identify the main types and characteristics of informal settlements and to reveal the factors that hinder the success of programs for updating informal settlements in the city. The research methods were the analysis and generalization of domestic and foreign literature on this research problem. The main conclusion of this study is that the principles of folk architecture are integral components of solutions for the sustainable development of informal settlements.

Lively Infrastructure

2014 ◽  
Vol 31 (7-8) ◽  
pp. 137-161 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ash Amin
Keyword(s):  
Social Life ◽  
Informal Settlements ◽  
Urban Infrastructure ◽  
The Poor ◽  
The Social ◽  
Community Solidarity ◽  
Belo Horizonte ◽  
Struggle For Recognition ◽  
The City

This paper examines the social life and sociality of urban infrastructure. Drawing on a case study of land occupations and informal settlements in the city of Belo Horizonte in Brazil, where the staples of life such as water, electricity, shelter and sanitation are co-constructed by the poor, the paper argues that infrastructures – visible and invisible – are deeply implicated in not only the making and unmaking of individual lives, but also in the experience of community, solidarity and struggle for recognition. Infrastructure is proposed as a gathering force and political intermediary of considerable significance in shaping the rights of the poor to the city and their capacity to claim those rights.

scholarly journals INFO FROM THE WORLD

Detritus ◽  
2018 ◽  
pp. 201-202
Author(s):  
Managing editor: Elena Cristina Rada
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Waste Management ◽  
Environmental Degradation ◽  
Urban Population ◽  
Informal Settlements ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Waste Collection ◽  
The Poor ◽  
The World ◽  
The City

Waste management raises concerns on environmental degradation and public health issues in the city of Nairobi, Kenya where a big share of the urban population still suffers from lack of adequate waste collection services. Governmental and international efforts have focused on implementing waste operations in middle- and high-income areas that fall short of providing informal settlements with equally efficient facilities (Figure 1). This results in increased rates of urban inequalities as well as places waste issues in the broader framework of environmental injustice and marginalization of the poor. In response to the current gaps, the emergence of spon.&nbsp;

scholarly journals Architecture & Legitimacy: Strategies for the Development of Urban Informal Settlements

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachel D. Pressick
Keyword(s):  
Urban Poor ◽  
Social Economic ◽  
Informal Settlement ◽  
Informal Settlements ◽  
Global City ◽  
The People ◽  
Urban Informal Settlements ◽  
Cultural Networks ◽  
The City ◽  
Autonomous Development

Currently, 1 in 6 people live in slums, or informal settlements in cities throughout the developing world. They are built illegally and are characterized by lack of proper sanitation, unsafe housing, and crowded living conditions. Despite their appearance, informal settlements are legitimate communities; they are vibrant, with sophisticated social, economic and cultural networks that support the livelihoods of residents who call them home. These communities give the urban poor a physical place within the city, giving them access to the opportunities and advantages that the current age of the 'global city' can offer to any willing participant. As architects who see the responsibility in choosing the informal settlement as a realm for engagement, this thesis proposes that any architectural intervention be mindful of the importance of the networks contained within the streets and buildings of the informal settlement. By preserving the built-fabric of the settlement, the architect legitimizes the settlement's density and scale, while ensuring the urban poor have a physical place in the city. They have managed to develop their own communities without any investment from outside forces, any intervention should only support that autonomous development. These structures, as well as the people and activities with them, are vital to the survival of residents of informal settlements.

Rethinking Cairo's Informal Settlement in the Light of Hardships

2019 ◽  
pp. 341-355
Author(s):  
Ahmed Hassan Abayazeed
Keyword(s):  
Research Methods ◽  
Urban Growth ◽  
Informal Settlement ◽  
Informal Settlements ◽  
The Right ◽  
The City ◽  
Successes And Failures ◽  
Digital Research

This chapter aims at understanding and interpreting the informal urban growth in Cairo as a physical objection act against the failing radical ways in managing the city. Accordingly, this chapter tries to analyze both informal physical actions and the formal policies and approaches adopted, and reach reasons for the successes and failures. The chapter first investigates briefly the evolution of Cairo's informal settlements and the hardship conditions behind. Then it examines these settlements through analyzing their two main types. Afterward, it discusses the reasons behind the success of these informal actions. Then it reviews policies and approaches. Consequently, it tries to discover the reasons behind the failure of formal policies and approaches. Thereafter, it discusses briefly using geospatial digital research methods in Cairo's informal settlements. Finally, the chapter ends with a concluded discussion tries to figure out how to reach the right path in dealing with Cairo's informal settlements.

scholarly journals Mobility Patterns During COVID-19 Travel Restrictions in Nairobi Urban Informal Settlements: Who Is Leaving Home and Why

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessie Pinchoff ◽  
Cara Kraus-Perrotta ◽  
Karen Austrian ◽  
James B. Tidwell ◽  
Timothy Abuya ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Transportation ◽  
Informal Settlement ◽  
Informal Settlements ◽  
Urban Slums ◽  
Mitigation Measures ◽  
Relative Risk Ratio ◽  
Mobility Patterns ◽  
Multinomial Regression ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
The City

AbstractNairobi’s urban slums are ill equipped to prevent spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) due to high population density, multigenerational families in poorly ventilated informal housing, and poor sanitation. Physical distancing policies, curfews, and a citywide lockdown were implemented in March and April 2020 resulting in sharp decreases in movement across the city. However, most people cannot afford to stay home completely (e.g., leaving daily to fetch water). If still employed, they may need to travel longer distances for work, potentially exposing them COVID-19 or contributing to its spread. We conducted a household survey across five urban slums to describe factors associated with mobility in the previous 24 h. A total of 1695 adults were interviewed, 63% female. Of these, most reported neighborhood mobility within their informal settlement (54%), 19% stayed home completely, and 27% reported long-distance mobility outside their informal settlement, mainly for work. In adjusted multinomial regression models, women were 58% more likely than men to stay home (relative risk ratio (RRR): 1.58, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.16, 2.14) and women were 60% less likely than men to report citywide mobility (RRR: 0.40; 95% CI 0.31, 0.52). Individuals in the wealthiest quintile, particularly younger women, were most likely to not leave home at all. Those who reported citywide travel were less likely to have lost employment (RRR: 0.49; 95% CI 0.38, 0.65) and were less likely to avoid public transportation (RRR: 0.30; 95% CI 0.23, 0.39). Employment and job hunting were the main reasons for traveling outside of the slum; less than 20% report other reasons. Our findings suggest that slum residents who retain their employment are traveling larger distances across Nairobi, using public transportation, and are more likely to be male; this travel may put them at higher risk of COVID-19 infection but is necessary to maintain income. Steps to protect workers from COVID-19 both in the workplace and while in transit (including masks, hand sanitizer stations, and reduced capacity on public transportation) are critical as economic insecurity in the city increases due to COVID-19 mitigation measures. Workers must be able to commute and maintain employment to not be driven further into poverty. Additionally, to protect the majority of individuals who are only travelling locally within their settlement, mitigation measures such as making masks and handwashing stations accessible within informal settlements must also be implemented, with special attention to the burden placed on women.

scholarly journals Architecture for the poor and unprivileged of Jakarta

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Patrick Waller
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Affordable Housing ◽  
Informal Settlement ◽  
Construction Material ◽  
Informal Settlements ◽  
Poverty Line ◽  
Housing Design ◽  
The City ◽  
Community Centre

<p>As the world becomes increasingly urbanised, cities are forced to manage significant population increases. Jakarta, in Indonesia, has a significant population that is visibly living below the poverty line which suggests the city was not fully prepared to accommodate the radical growth. With such a large number of people living in poverty, and there being a lack of affordable housing Jakarta faces an issue where a significant number of these people are forced to live in informal settlements, which are spread throughout the city. These informal settlements, known as Kampungs are typically made up of dense clusters of single or two story residential structures packed together in communal areas. The erection of these houses often results in unplanned but functional networks of footpaths. These urban arrangements normally have a lack of sanitary infrastructure. The government’s current plans to mitigate this issue are by forced evictions, and moving the informal settlement residents into subsidised social housing apartment buildings. Generally, people are against these forced evictions and in many cases they are forced to leave, or simply rebuild on top of the rubble of their old homes. How can architecture support the existing social connections within the community, while improving the living conditions of the residents in the informal settlements of Jakarta? This research proposes a community centre design which is able to provide necessary facilities to the informal settlements. Although the residents are not in need of a new housing design, this research focuses on providing facilities to improve the quality of life. The research takes into account extensive site, literature, and precedent analysis; to develop a design criteria which aims to produce positive neighbourhood development. Traditional Indonesian architecture has a heavy influence on the form and construction material, with the intention to give the opportunity for the community to get involved in the construction and maintenance of the building. The final design result is a community centre with a large auditorium space for community gatherings, and support spaces which include emergency accommodation, teaching facilities, exhibition space, workshop space, sanitary facilities, recycling management centre, and retail spaces. This architectural intervention provides a place for the community to come together and to have a better quality of life while still being able to live in their personally constructed and designed homes.</p>

scholarly journals Participation in the decision making-making cities proces of regularization policies in Buenos Aires. The case of Villa 20 in Buenos Aires autonomous city

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesca Ferlicca ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Latin American ◽  
Land Tenure ◽  
Buenos Aires ◽  
Informal Settlement ◽  
Informal Settlements ◽  
Vulnerable Groups ◽  
Regulatory Policies ◽  
The Right ◽  
The City

In Latin American cities informal settlements and insecure land tenure are the result of an exclusionary planning and urban management system which fails to provide legal and secure housing for lower-income groups. Against this backdrop, the State implemented land-title and urban regulatory policies, in order to improve the housing conditions of these neighbourhoods and integrate their residents into the legal regime. This paper proposes to address the conflicts implied in the processes of urbanization and regularization of the villas of the city of Buenos Aires during the first government of Rodríguez Larreta (2015-2019). In the official political discourse, the urbanization of informal settlements is considered one of the main axes of local management. Within this framework, institutional changes are being carried out, such as the creation of the Ministry of Social and Urban Integration. This report proposes to address the participation implied in the process of urbanization and regularization of Villa 20 in the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires. This process have raised many challenges in the interaction between government decision-making and the needs of inhabitants of informal settlement. These challenges are linked to a) the democratic participation of the inhabitants in the decision-making process at all stages, b) land management policies and domain regularization; c) the modalities and logic of relocation of inhabitants; d) the provision and access to infrastructure services and public spaces; e) the treatment of tenants and other more vulnerable groups. Based on the analysis of the case study, we propose to account for the limits and scope of the implemented urbanization policy as well as for the opportunities to expand the horizon of tools and intervention modalities promote the right to the city and reduce territorial inequalities

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