Theories of Migration in and from Rural Sub-Saharan Africa: Review and Critique of Current Literature
This working paper presents an overview of the global literature on migration with a focus on rural areas. It discusses the general structure of the field of migration studies and outlines a typology of approaches found within this literature. Different theories on migration are examined. An interesting finding is the large amount of evidence confirming…
Our existence matters: Experiences and belonging of urban space
Our existence matters: Experiences and belonging of urban space from street hawkers perspective – a case study of La-Nkwantanang-Madina municipal area The study examines the experiences of street hawkers and contributes to the current but less represented debate on hawkers’ ways of appropriating the urban space through space modification and codification that serve greatly their…
Local Government and Migration: A Review of Literature and Media Narratives with focus on West African Sahel
Multiple questions are constantly asked about migration. What are the driving forces behind migration? What happens at the intersection of climate threats, social injustices and migration? Is migration a product of social structures or voluntary individual action? And in general, what is the role of local governments in relation to emigration? Many of these issues…
Political and Social Inclusion in Asian Cities – Indonesia Case Study
This study examines the relationships between local democracy and the barriers to political and social inclusion of marginalized communities in two cities, Bandung as an example of metropolitan city, and Surakarta to give the perspective of a middle-sized city. The research questions are: Since Indonesia has implemented decentralization reforms, basic service delivery is carried out…
Political and Social Inclusion in Asian Cities – Vietnam Case Study
After its Renovation policy (or Doi Moi) with market-oriented reforms initiated in 1986, Vietnam has been one of the fastest growing Asian economies, with the annual growth rate fluctuating around 6 – 7 per cent for the past 30 years. The country has also been considered as a successful model for fulfilling Millennium Development Goals…
Political and Social Inclusion in Asian Cities – India Case Study
India recorded an average growth rate of over 5% per annum during the last two decades of the 20th century. GDP grew at 7.7% per annum during 2001-11. However, most of the growth has been concentrated in a few regions and large cities. Also, only certain sections of the population benefited from it, resulting in…
Access to Urban Services for Inclusive Development in Asia
Rapid urban growth has not benefited all residents equally, leading to an “urban divide”. The poor are left to bear most of the burdens and shortcomings particularly in terms of access to services. Despite its contribution to economic development, urbanization has led to an increasing incidence of urban poverty and inequity, deteriorating quality of the…
Choisir la démocratie: la gestion des ressources naturelles pour les décideurs, bailleurs de fonds, et agents de terrain
Appuyer la démocratie locale pour la gestion des forêts est essentiel à l’amélioration du bien-être des populations. Les autorités forestières au niveau national recrutent souvent des experts qui ne rendent pas compte aux populations vivant en zone forestière. Beaucoup de décisions relatives aux forêts devraient être prises au niveau local. Cette note d’orientation politique propose…
Co-production of Services in Informal Settlements
In many informal settlements, a large number of informal sector waste pickers collect and separate household waste, providing an important service. However, waste pickers represent one of the most excluded, impoverished and disempowered segments of society. This study explores the challenges and potential solutions for the co-production of participatory waste management services in informal settlements,…
Financing Small and Medium Towns
This research project studied the emerging challenges of small and medium towns in India to improve their finances and provide good services to their inhabitants. The study assesses the ability of various local actors, institutions and processes for decentralised planning and governance. Moreover, the researchers used action research to build the capacities of these local…