Algerian Journal of Human and Social Sciences
Volume 10, Numéro 2, Pages 72-81
2026-07-16
Precarious Housing In Africa: Dynamics, Resilience And Trajectories Of An ‘informal’ Urban Environment
Authors : Brioua Nadira .
Abstract
This article examines the intricate dynamics, resilience mechanisms, and future pathways of precarious housing in Africa's informal urban landscapes, where the rapid pace of urbanization has led to the widespread emergence of settlements characterized by vulnerability and adaptation. Integrating insights from urban planning, geography, sociology, anthropology, and development studies, it highlights how rapid urbanization, climate vulnerabilities, and economic informality intersect to shape informal settlements, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa, creating environments that demand both immediate interventions and long-term strategic planning. Through a comparative analysis of case studies from Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), Kampala (Uganda), and Johannesburg’s Soweto (South Africa), the study explores the study explores community-driven adaptations, the role of modern vernacular architecture in fostering everyday resilience, and innovative technologies like 3D-printing, while advocating for inclusive governance under frameworks such as the AfCFTA to address systemic challenges. Emphasizing poverty's entwinement with housing deprivation and the need for holistic approaches that consider environmental sustainability, it calls for context-sensitive policies that transform precarious environments into resilient, equitable urban spaces, ultimately addressing both immediate vulnerabilities and long-term sustainability goals in a manner that promotes social cohesion and economic inclusion.
Keywords
precarious housing; informal settlements; urban resilience; Africa; urbanization diseconomies; modern vernacular architecture; poverty dynamics
Les articles similaires
Ghebouli Ahmed
.
Chenafi Kafia
.
pages 514-536.
غوبريني زكرياء
.
ص 481-514.
زغلامي حسيبة
.
مبروك حدة
.
ص 521-540.
Al Sayyed Waleed
.
pages 49-57.
Belaidi Mohamed Amine
.
pages 120-133.
