Enroll Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/bidonvilles
The rapid urbanization of African cities presents both immense opportunities and significant challenges. One of the most pressing issues is the proliferation of precarious neighborhoods, often characterized by informal settlements and limited access to basic services. Coursera’s course, ‘Villes africaines : Restructuration des quartiers précaires’ (African Cities: Restructuring Precarious Neighborhoods), offers a comprehensive and insightful exploration of this critical topic.
This course delves into the very roots of these urban challenges, starting with an in-depth examination of how precarious neighborhoods form, organize, and function. The first week meticulously lays out the problem, highlighting the scale and genesis of urban precarity in Africa. It emphasizes how this phenomenon, while global, has become particularly pronounced in the Global South, especially on the African continent. The course doesn’t shy away from the harsh realities, discussing the urban crisis and its manifestations, particularly concerning land tenure and housing – crucial elements for the urban integration of populations.
The second week shifts to an ‘estado de situación’ – a state of affairs – presenting the diversity of these neighborhoods. While common characteristics exist, the course effectively illustrates the unique forms of irregularity found across different African cities, establishing a useful typology to understand these variations.
Moving into the third week, the focus sharpens on the approaches and responses to restructuring these areas. It critically analyzes governmental interventions, often marked by evictions, and evaluates solutions proposed by international funders like the World Bank. The inclusion of specific case studies from Morocco and Senegal provides practical, real-world examples that bring the theoretical discussions to life.
The fourth week is dedicated to methodologies, modes, and tools for restructuring. It dissects two primary operational approaches: integral absorption and in-situ restructuring. The detailed analysis of the Elmina neighborhood in Nouakchott (2003-2008) serves as a powerful case study, allowing learners to grasp the various stages involved and to synthesize lessons learned from recent operations in different African cities.
Finally, the fifth week is for consolidation, involving peer review of application exercises and a final quiz, ensuring a thorough understanding of the material.
Overall, ‘Villes africaines : Restructuration des quartiers précaires’ is an exceptionally valuable course for anyone interested in urban planning, development studies, sociology, or simply understanding the complexities of contemporary African cities. It is well-structured, informative, and provides a nuanced perspective on a vital issue. I highly recommend it for its academic rigor and practical relevance.
Enroll Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/bidonvilles