Conceptualizing African Urban Peripheries

Meth, Paula; Goodfellow, Tom; Todes, Alison; Charlton, Sarah

doi:10.1111/1468-2427.13044

Cited by 31 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 67 publications

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“…Recently, Meth et al. (2021) draw on the works of Goldman (2011b), Caldeira (2017), and Karaman et al. (2020) to identify five logics 9 in the urban peripheries of South Africa and Ethiopia.…”

Section: Looking Forward: Embracing Multiple Underlying Processes Of ...mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…for peri-urban Jakarta). Recently, Meth et al (2021) draw on the works of Goldman (2011b), Caldeira (2017), and Karaman et al (2020) to identify five logics 9 in the urban peripheries of South Africa and Ethiopia. Especially noteworthy is their logic of "inherited periphery," which outlines the existence of peri-urban areas marked by "failed policy initiatives" and often showing economic decline and increasing socio-spatial marginalization (Meth et al, 2021, pp.…”

Section: Looking Forward: Embracing Multiple Underlying Processes Of ...mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Thus, a more explicit and specific theorization of the dynamic and heterogeneous processes of urbanization at the outer edges of southern cities is needed (cf. Gururani & Kennedy, 2021; Meth et al., 2021). However, as many scholars have noted, urban theory often cannot be generalized from north‐to‐south, or even south‐to‐south.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…9 9 “(1) the speculative periphery; (2) the vanguard periphery; (3) the auto‐constructed periphery; (4) the transitioning periphery; and (5) the inherited periphery” (Meth et al., 2021) …”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Without better terms, and to avoid repeatedly listing "Asia, Africa and Latin America" throughout the paper, I use the imperfect and certainly not neutral spatial constructs of the (global) south and north (cf Bhan et al, 2018;Mohan et al, 2021; . Parnell & Oldfield, 2014).2 For more details seeSimon et al (2006).3 I adopt the idea of "conceptual vectors" fromRoy (2009) andErnstson et al (2014).4 A more detailed debate about the concept of urbanization is beyond the scope of this paper (see, e.g.,Harvey, 1996;Brenner & Schmid, 2015;Davidson & Iveson, 2015).5 I chose these excellent peri-urban studies not to denounce, but rather to highlight how highly influential and thoughtful work on peri-urbanization has, so far, largely disregarded the questions of what distinguishes peri-urbanization from urbanization.6 I borrow the terminology of "not-quite-urban" fromLawhon (2020, p. 39).7 I am grateful to the anonymous reviewer suggesting this terminology, which perfectly describes this understanding.8 Suburbanization is generally understood as "the combination of non-centric population and economic growth with urban spatial expansion"(De Vidovich, 2019, p. 2, based upon Hamel & Keil, 2015.9 "(1) the speculative periphery;(2) the vanguard periphery;(3) the auto-constructed periphery; (4) the transitioning periphery; and (5) the inherited periphery"(Meth et al, 2021) …”

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confidence: 99%

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Geographies of peri‐urbanization in the global south

Follmann

2022

Geography Compass

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The term peri‐urbanization has been widely used to describe a range of different processes that transform rural areas to a mix of rural and urban spaces. Although there is a burgeoning literature on peri‐urbanization, the conceptual debate about peri‐urbanization's distinction from urbanization is rarely considered. It sometimes seems like whatever occurs at the urban periphery across the global south is labeled peri‐urbanization. This universalizing use of the term risks obscuring the existing diversities of rural‐to‐urban transformations. At the same time, it is empirically clear that the urban periphery of the global south hosts the most dynamic processes of urbanization in the contemporary world. It is also conceptually accepted that to better understand these diverse processes of urbanization, scholars must decenter global urban theory and build new vocabularies and theories from the south. Thus, there is doubt as to whether and to what extent a single concept like peri‐urbanization can capture the great diversity of rural‐to‐urban transformations across the global south. This critical review of the southern geographies of peri‐urbanization first identifies three interrelated conceptual vectors (territorial, functional, and transitional) for understanding the peri‐urban concept, and outlines recent developments in the field. Then, peri‐urbanization is reframed as an umbrella concept, which embraces multiple theoretical concepts and avoids the universalization inherent in much current usage. Finally, the paper reviews recent theoretical inquiries and new vocabularies of urbanization processes at the urban periphery, offering scope to theorize the heterogeneity of the geographies of peri‐urbanization in the global south.

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