CHANS-Net: The International Network of Research on Coupled Human and Natural Systems

Journal or Book Title: CITIES

DOI:10.1016/j.cities.2021.103374

Abstract: This paper presents some existing approaches to urban thinking: resilience, systems thinking, emergence, complexity theory and assemblage, in an attempt to understand 'sustainability' and 'resilience' at the level of an African City. The focus area is Windhoek, the capitol of Namibia; a vast arid country, situated on the south-west coast of Africa, and home to one of the oldest deserts in the world. The planning paradigm in Windhoek continues to follow a suburbanisation strategy with a focus on the provision of equal technical services across the city, not realising that this urban model, with middle-class residents in mind, continues to promote exclusion of township residents in lieu of Western ideals. The research follows a broad assemblage approach to uncover the often-hidden relationships between social, environmental/ecological and economic systems at play in the city. The research is presented in the spirit of moving beyond the dichotomy of First World 'models' and Third World 'problems', to encourage policy approaches that seek to really learn from 'developing' countries. Globally the majority of urban transformation is happening in informal areas at a rate that calls for radical shifts; shifts in our perceptions of the 'informal'; our thinking and approach to urban planning; as well as our planning ethics.

Type of Publication: Article