Urban (in) security in an emerging human settlement: Perspectives from Hopley Farm Settlement, Harare, Zimbabwe
This article examines the urban (in) security landscape in a postcolonial emerging human settlement in Africa. Hopley Farm Settlement is used as a case study focusing on the perspectives of this urban (in) security on spatial justice. This study contributes to the emerging scholarship on African cit...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-11-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Sustainable Cities |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frsc.2022.933869/full |
| _version_ | 1798017177041764352 |
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| author | Abraham R. Matamanda Thulisile N. Mphambukeli |
| author_facet | Abraham R. Matamanda Thulisile N. Mphambukeli |
| author_sort | Abraham R. Matamanda |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This article examines the urban (in) security landscape in a postcolonial emerging human settlement in Africa. Hopley Farm Settlement is used as a case study focusing on the perspectives of this urban (in) security on spatial justice. This study contributes to the emerging scholarship on African cities that focuses on urban security, which is increasingly becoming a critical issue owing to multiple socioeconomic, political, and environmental risks inherent in Africa. We argue that the poor residing in emerging human settlements are victimized mainly and subjected to different forms of violence exposing them to urban (in) securities. This insecurity makes it challenging to achieve the envisaged sustainable development goal that aspires to create safe and resilient cities and settlements by 2030. The study employed an exploratory phenomenological research design where data were collected from 450 questionnaires administered to residents and 20 in-depth interviews with residents from Hopley. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. The study maps Hopley's (in) security terrain, focusing on different parameters that bring insights to the security scape of the settlement. The strategies employed by the community to navigate this complex terrain are explored in light of infrastructural violence theory, which brings insights into spatial justice. The findings reveal that the envisaged mixed used settlement form considers urban security in the design of Hopley. However, the realities of the settlement show complex urban insecurities, including unsafe living environments, political victimization, lack of tenure, crime and violence that manifest even through severe cases such as murder and rape. Marginalization of the poor is thus prevalent in this community and calls for the government to reconsider the planning, development, and management of emerging settlements where the poor reside in the shadow of the state. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T16:02:50Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8582309a58704c01a33678c880d9febd |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2624-9634 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T16:02:50Z |
| publishDate | 2022-11-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Sustainable Cities |
| spelling | doaj.art-8582309a58704c01a33678c880d9febd2022-12-22T04:14:54ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Sustainable Cities2624-96342022-11-01410.3389/frsc.2022.933869933869Urban (in) security in an emerging human settlement: Perspectives from Hopley Farm Settlement, Harare, ZimbabweAbraham R. Matamanda0Thulisile N. Mphambukeli1Department of Geography, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South AfricaDepartment of Town and Regional Planning, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South AfricaThis article examines the urban (in) security landscape in a postcolonial emerging human settlement in Africa. Hopley Farm Settlement is used as a case study focusing on the perspectives of this urban (in) security on spatial justice. This study contributes to the emerging scholarship on African cities that focuses on urban security, which is increasingly becoming a critical issue owing to multiple socioeconomic, political, and environmental risks inherent in Africa. We argue that the poor residing in emerging human settlements are victimized mainly and subjected to different forms of violence exposing them to urban (in) securities. This insecurity makes it challenging to achieve the envisaged sustainable development goal that aspires to create safe and resilient cities and settlements by 2030. The study employed an exploratory phenomenological research design where data were collected from 450 questionnaires administered to residents and 20 in-depth interviews with residents from Hopley. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. The study maps Hopley's (in) security terrain, focusing on different parameters that bring insights to the security scape of the settlement. The strategies employed by the community to navigate this complex terrain are explored in light of infrastructural violence theory, which brings insights into spatial justice. The findings reveal that the envisaged mixed used settlement form considers urban security in the design of Hopley. However, the realities of the settlement show complex urban insecurities, including unsafe living environments, political victimization, lack of tenure, crime and violence that manifest even through severe cases such as murder and rape. Marginalization of the poor is thus prevalent in this community and calls for the government to reconsider the planning, development, and management of emerging settlements where the poor reside in the shadow of the state.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frsc.2022.933869/fullspatial justiceurban securityemerging human settlementHopleyinfrastructural violence |
| spellingShingle | Abraham R. Matamanda Thulisile N. Mphambukeli Urban (in) security in an emerging human settlement: Perspectives from Hopley Farm Settlement, Harare, Zimbabwe Frontiers in Sustainable Cities spatial justice urban security emerging human settlement Hopley infrastructural violence |
| title | Urban (in) security in an emerging human settlement: Perspectives from Hopley Farm Settlement, Harare, Zimbabwe |
| title_full | Urban (in) security in an emerging human settlement: Perspectives from Hopley Farm Settlement, Harare, Zimbabwe |
| title_fullStr | Urban (in) security in an emerging human settlement: Perspectives from Hopley Farm Settlement, Harare, Zimbabwe |
| title_full_unstemmed | Urban (in) security in an emerging human settlement: Perspectives from Hopley Farm Settlement, Harare, Zimbabwe |
| title_short | Urban (in) security in an emerging human settlement: Perspectives from Hopley Farm Settlement, Harare, Zimbabwe |
| title_sort | urban in security in an emerging human settlement perspectives from hopley farm settlement harare zimbabwe |
| topic | spatial justice urban security emerging human settlement Hopley infrastructural violence |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frsc.2022.933869/full |
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