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Call for Papers for open call N° 69 of Revista de Investigaciones Geográficas: Una mirada desde el sur.

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Social cohesion as the basis for governance improvement in Informal settlements

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No. 59 (2020)
https://doi.org/10.5354/0719-5370.2020.56953

Abstract

Given the increase in informal settlements worldwide and particularly in the Latin American and the Caribbean (LAC) region, an interest arises to study the existing governance in urban informality. After an extensive literature review, two case studies are contrasted, one from Chile and the other from six LAC countries. Governance analysis is traditionally conceived in terms of relations and coordination mechanisms between governmental and non-governmental actors, civil society, grassroots organizations and the private sector; and to a lesser extent in relationships within a same group of actors, particularly the community-based one. In the case of informal settlements, by definition, there is a distancing or disconnection between non-governmental and governmental actors, where the latter are practically absent and whose space is occupied by organic and spontaneous governance mechanisms that take control of decisions. Recent studies point towards social cohesion and associative membership as mechanisms that allow to qualitatively and quantitatively measure the types and levels of governance that arise in areas where urban informality predominates, accompanied by precariousness and the indifference of government actors. Interventions aimed at disaster risk reduction in informal settlements demonstrate a level of positive impact on the dimension of social cohesion, as well as a transformation in the relationship between actors, which has resulted in the empowerment of communities, a decrease in government indifference, and a strengthening of resilience and governance.

Keywords:

Associative membership, disaster risk, governance, informal settlements, social cohesion.

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How to Cite
Sarmiento, J. P., Castro Correa, C. P., Sandoval, V., & Hoberman, G. (2020). Social cohesion as the basis for governance improvement in Informal settlements. Investigaciones Geográficas, (59), 59–69. https://doi.org/10.5354/0719-5370.2020.56953
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Investigaciones Geográficas
Facultad de Arquitectura y Urbanismo
Universidad de Chile

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