“I Will Obey Whatever Orders Will Be Given to Me …”: A Critical Discourse Analysis of an Affidavit from a Slum Upgradation and Rehabilitation Project in Islamabad, Pakistan

Abstract

Instead of criminalizing slums, the global discourse on slums and urban poor is changing towards integration, rehabilitation, and internationalizing cities. As pleasant as it may look, it is important to critically reflect and evaluate the policies of upgradation and rehabilitation, especially in the global south. Is the change from criminalization to rehabilitation and integration true to its spirit or is it just another policy gimmick? This article uses critical discourse analysis to analyze an affidavit produced in an official report on the upgradation and rehabilitation of katchi abadis (slums) in Islamabad. The report describes the affidavit as the most important part of the process through which the urban poor become eligible for applying to the intended benefits of the development interventions, that is, the legalization of their housing. The affidavit is to be reproduced by the urban poor on a notarized stamped paper to be attested to by a magistrate of the first class (a Civil Judge). The discursive analysis of the affidavit shows that the text attempts to naturalize inequalities, criminalization, and essentialization of the urban poor. Further, having constructed their deviant status, the text shows that the urban poor must surrender some of their rights to access their right to housing in Islamabad.

Are livelihoods of slum dwellers sustainable and secure in developing economies? Evidences from Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh in India

“… – [ 25 ] 31.54 24.40 28.22 2.38** Social discrimination (%) Social vulnerabilities, institutional discrimination and structural violence are not sufficiently addressed by international or local governments in third world cities, which affects the marginalized communities living in slums to a higher extent. – [ 30 ] 58.51 50.96 55.00 2.27** Population belonging to backward social group (SC, ST & OBC) (in %) Modern urban crises emerge in the form of sharp social divisions, creating urban informality or poverty. Majority of people living in slums belong to backward social groups.…”

“…It is argued that the urban poor as a social deviant group are associated with a poor social, economic, and political structure and live with sustained inequality and exploitation. The actual social, economic, infrastructural, environmental, and health vulnerabilities of the slum people are much worse compared to what evidences based on scientific estimates such as per capita income, HDI, poverty, and inequality suggest [ 30 ]. The definition of slum used in India, which is based on the neighbourhood approach, fails to capture the heterogeneity in the living conditions of slum households.…”

“…These studies mostly take an actor-oriented perspective on different development schemes [ 21 ] and largely use quantifiable indicators to make policy prescriptions. The living conditions of slum populations, however, are beset by numerous other challenges such as poor education, health and employment i.e., multidimensional poverty [ [22] , [23] , [24] ]; gender inequality [ 25 ]; social isolation [ 26 ]; urban informality and subaltern urbanism [ [27] , [28] , [29] , [30] ] and poor environment [ 31 , 32 ]. In sum, the poor livelihood conditions of slum dwellers are determined by a combination of numerous complex phenomena.…”