Seeing from the South: Refocusing Urban Planning on the Globe’s Central Urban Issues

Abstract

Urban planning in many parts of the world reflects an increasing gap between current approaches and growing problems of poverty, inequality, informality, rapid urbanisation and spatial fragmentation, particularly (but not only) in cities of the global South. Given past dominance of the global North in shaping planning theory and practice, this article argues that a perspective from the global South can be useful in unsettling taken-for-granted assumptions about how planning addresses these issues. The article takes a first step in this direction by proposing a ‘clash of rationalities’, between techno-managerial and marketised systems of government administration, service provision and planning (in those parts of the world where these apply) and increasingly marginalised urban populations surviving largely under conditions of informality. It draws together theoretical resources beyond the boundaries of conventional planning theory to understand the nature of this conflict, and the nature of the ‘interface’ between those involved, where unpredictable encounter and contestation also open the possibility for exploring alternative approaches to planning.

Considering Complexities in Unique African Planning Approaches: Abstracting the Role of African Urban Residents

“…Numerous planning theorists and academics [7], [9], [10], are currently advocating for a unique approach to African urban planning based on the argument that planning theory cannot merely be imported and applied from the global North to the global South, especially in light of the failure of the African urban landscape to emulate Western models of urbanisation and the resulting urban planning responses [35].…”

“…Further to this, Watson [7], expressed concern that urban planning worldwide is beginning to reveal an alarming and increasing dichotomy between current planning approaches and the mounting challenges elicited by rapid urbanisation, particularly (but not limited to) noticeable in African cities and cities of the global South. Subsequently, Africa became the subject of increasing discourse from planning practitioners and academics [5], [8], seeking solutions to this barrage of planning challenges.…”

“…Subsequently, Africa became the subject of increasing discourse from planning practitioners and academics [5], [8], seeking solutions to this barrage of planning challenges. Several of these scholars argue for a unique African planning approach [7], [9], [10], to address the said challenges of informality, unplanned settlements and slum conditions, especially in light of the failure of the African urban landscape to emulate Western models of urbanisation and the resulting urban planning solutions.…”

“…This begs the critical question of the role and interference required from government, planning practitioners and academics within the rapidly changing African urban landscape and the resulting unplanned settlements [7], [12], [13].…”

Climate Change Adaptation in Urban Planning in African Cities: The CLUVA Project

“…The urban context as found in Sub-Saharan Africa is decisive for the options of adaptation to climate change: Rapid urbanisation coupled with economic stagnation leads to poverty, informality and spatial fragmentation (Roy 2005;Watson 2009;Cheru 2005;Kyessi 2005), making the task of providing infrastructure, service, planning and management to the marginalised majority of the urban population very difficult (Watson 2009). Climate change related hazards pose a further complicating factor.…”