Social Capital and Trust in Slum Areas: the Case of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Kassahun, Samson

doi:10.1007/s12132-014-9235-3

Cited by 14 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…A local/community association is a group/organization that works for the benefit of its members or a particular community. A community rich in structural social capital stock is assumed to be characterized by the strong engagement of residents in their local associations [46,47]. This strong engagement can be utilized to protect households from evictions [64].…”

Section: Conceptual Frameworkmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Social Capital: Higher Resilience in Slums in the Lagos Metropolis

et al. 2021

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Different slums exhibit different levels of resilience against the threat of eviction. However, little is known about the role of the social capital of the slum community in this context. This study investigates the factors contributing to slum resilience in the Lagos Metropolis, Nigeria, through a social capital lens. This study first investigates land allocation in slums, then the available social capital, and subsequently how this capital influences resilience to the threat of eviction in slums. Data were collected in two slum communities, in Lagos, through in-depth interviews and focus groups discussion. This study shows that land allocation is done by the traditional heads, contrarily to the mandate of the Nigeria Land Use Act of 1978. Furthermore, there is a form of structural social capital through the presence of government registered community development associations in the slums; however, their activities, decision-making process and the perception of the residents’ towards their respective associations, differs. This led to differences in trust, social cohesion and bonding ties among residents of the slum, thereby influencing resilience to the threat of eviction in slums. Since community group associations, through the appointed executives, drive the efficient utilization of social capital in slums, this study therefore recommends their restructuring in order to support a sustainable solution to the threat of eviction in slums in Lagos.

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Section: Conceptual Frameworkmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Ref. [47] showed that increased participation in local associations among slum dwellers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, created a bonding and bridging type of social network that has contributed to the development of social trust and confidence in the government. Ref.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Social Capital: Higher Resilience in Slums in the Lagos Metropolis

et al. 2021

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“…The idea of network is employed as a tool for a normative or critical urbanism (McFarlane 2011). Elsewhere, the idea of social capital, as developed by Pierre Bourdieu, is used as a resource for enabling network chain interactions, in particular, with a focus on trust and informal settlements (Kassahun 2015). However, the bulk of the research in this area applies the idea of social networks in a rather loose way.…”

Section: Network and Informal Settlementsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploring the Dynamics of Social Networks in Urban Informal Settlements: the Case of Mathare Valley, Kenya

et al. 2020

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This paper pilots a different approach to the study of informal settlements, typically conceived as chaotic, disorganised, and lacking social cohesion. We provide a different reading of social life in an informal settlement. While its social life may be different from other parts of the urban metropolis, its social relations are not absent. Through the use of network theory, we will demonstrate that social relations in settlements have developed a considerable level of complexity.Using the case study of Mathare Valley, an informal settlement in Nairobi, we explore the dynamics of social networks with the aim of providing a more integrated understanding of life in slums. Based on survey data, focus groups/workshops and interviews, we established that residents depend on a network of strong, highly familial ties. Life is typically defined by neighbourhood bonds and friendship. This structure underpins the development of referral systems to access services and find work. The settlement has a syncretic governance structure made up of governmental and self-styled leaders who act as gatekeepers to varying degrees. We geocoded data to conduct a more detailed social network analysis, which revealed the positive attributes of networking as opportunities for innovation and forming weaker ties within and beyond the settlement. The negative aspects of strong ties lead to the exclusion of more vulnerable residents. In conclusion, we propose the social networks approach as essential in understanding informal settlements. A holistic understanding of informal settlements will not only overcome narrow conceptions but may also encourage networked thinking for urban planning and design.

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“…In contrast, slums in SSA also foster social capital, community connectedness, and a sense of belonging, all of which are critical health resources for the urban poor. Although slums have also been reported as zones of ethnic conflicts in some countries (69), they nevertheless have inspired community action against the health and social impacts of exclusion, material deprivation, and environmental decay in some places, including Francistown, Botswana (70) and Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (71).…”

Section: Neighborhood Crime and Social Capitalmentioning

confidence: 99%

Understanding the slum–health conundrum in sub-Saharan Africa: a proposal for a rights-based approach to health promotion in slums

Alaazi

Aganah

2019

Glob Health Promot

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Sub-Saharan Africa is the world’s least urbanized region but is ironically also the region with the largest proportion of urban slum dwellers. However, there exists limited understanding of the impact of slums on health in the region. To address this knowledge gap, we conducted a systematic search in PubMed, Google, and Google Scholar to identify and review studies examining the slum–health relationship in sub-Saharan African cities. Subsequently, we performed thematic analysis of 40 studies to identify themes that explain the health impact of slums in the region. The majority of studies characterize slums as health-damaging settings, where poverty and unfavorable environmental conditions pose threats to public health and safety. Only a handful of studies suggest a beneficial relationship between slums and health, in such areas as affordable housing provision, employment generation, and community cohesion. We argue that the literature’s overwhelming emphasis on the environmental risks of slums feeds into a neoliberal urban agenda that seeks to clear slums at the expense of their beneficial contributions to health. Accordingly, we advocate a shift in policy discourse, from static characterization of slums as health risks to a health-promotion agenda that emphasizes the housing and service rights of slum populations.

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Social Capital and Trust in Slum Areas: the Case of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Cited by 14 publications

References 33 publications

Social Capital: Higher Resilience in Slums in the Lagos Metropolis

Social Capital: Higher Resilience in Slums in the Lagos Metropolis

Exploring the Dynamics of Social Networks in Urban Informal Settlements: the Case of Mathare Valley, Kenya

Understanding the slum–health conundrum in sub-Saharan Africa: a proposal for a rights-based approach to health promotion in slums

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