African urban planning and its contribution to the Global South dialogue
Convenors: Karina Landman (University of Pretoria), Sonia Roitman (The University of Queensland)
Discussant: Jackson Sebola (University of Pretoria)
Track: Critical Engagements
Keywords: Urban Planning, Global South, Dialogue
Thursday October 24, 10:15–11:45, A3, John Moffat Building
SESSION 6
AFRICAN URBAN PLANNING AND ITS CONTRIBUTION TO THE GLOBAL SOUTH DIALOGUE
It is now widely accepted that urban planning in the Global South has different characteristics and often needs different approaches to urban planning in the North. However, the diversity of various approaches in the Global South is often less discussed. This session aims to discuss both conceptual and empirical experiences of urban planning in African cities and how they contribute to the broader discussion on Southern urban planning. Contributions to this session can be a comparison between African cities and other Global South cities or how African urban planning contributes more broadly to the conceptual framework of Southern urban planning. The session encourages participants to think relationally about cases in Africa and other Global South regions, discuss the specificities of the locales and the factors influencing urban development and debate the relevance of African approaches to planning in the Global South. The session aims to discuss the following questions:
- How does urban planning in Africa contribute to the debate on the characteristics of and approaches to urban planning in the Global South?
- What are the key concepts and theories used in African urban planning that influence the theoretical debate on urban planning in the Global South?
- How can African case studies contribute to the theoretical debate on urban planning in the Global South?
- What are the differences and similarities between African urban planning and urban planning in other regions in the Global South?
Presentations
The Promise of Planning: Global Aspirations and South African Experience since 2008’: Reflections for new forms of African urban planning
This paper reflects on findings from our new book, The Promise of Planning: Global Aspirations and South African Experience since 2008 (Routledge, 2024), in relation to southern urban planning. It explores how and why a reinvented South African planning has not realised its promises, raising questions for the prospects of new forms of planning in Africa.
Where informal is the plan: reconciling planning and city making from the township perspective
The paper offers a critique of the prevailing influence of Northern concepts of urban planning in development practice in the informal spaces of townships. We draw on empirical cases of planning, contrasting these with outcomes. We argue that a Southern approach should respond to transformative processes of social, spatial and economic ordering.
The role of Planning as tool for politico-scientific implementation and implications for present and future development path of the Global South
The paper examines, given the contemporary collective despair on science and a/the ‘better future’ whose charge is driven by (1) populism, (2) geopolitical fragmentation, warfare, and an ever-real threat of a WW III, (3) climate change fallout, and (4) crime and socio-economic inequity and inequality; whether Planning can ‘yet’ still (be expected) to play a role in the transformation, reconstruction, and transition of South Africa within the dynamics and trends in the Global South.
Good enough evidence-based planning: data challenges and solutions in southern smart urbanism
This study examines smart urbanism and evidence-based spatial planning definitions and practices in three Global South’s cities. It offers insights into trade-offs and priorities of urban data analytics institutions and capabilities in southern cities. It also provides a pragmatic framework to spatial data management, analysis, and reasoning.
Evaluating the Localization of Urban Planning Initiatives for Water Infrastructure in Lagos, Nigeria
Rapid urbanization in the Global South poses a significant challenge to water services. African cities like Lagos aim to attract private investment and reduce dependence on aid. This study analyzes Lagos' development plan (2052) to understand how various epistemologies derived from diverse funding sources influence the processes of water provision in the city. It argues for a dynamic understanding of local knowledge in the planning process.
