Communities and Communication: Building urban partnerships (Urban Management Series) - Softcover

Wakely, Patrick; Riley, Elizabeth

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1853395986 ISBN 13: 9781853395987

Publisher: ITDG Publishing, 2005

Synopsis

The current paradigm of ‘partnership’ in urban development and management is widely used and accepted but there is little understanding of what makes partnerships work or fail. The broad premise that underpins this book is that a partnership is a relationship based on an agreement to share both benefits and risks. Partnership thus depends upon a high level of trust between partners. Trust depends upon understanding -- understanding the strengths and weaknesses, goals and aspirations, and the capacities of each partner. Understanding depends upon communication -- the ability to transfer comprehension and information.

Three cities, one from each continent of the South, are studied for their complementary differences in experience and approach to local government and communication. Colombo has a long tradition of government support to community participation in slum upgrading but does not have a well-developed urban NGO movement. Nairobi has a well-organized urban NGO sector but the city has both a weak democratically-elected City Council and a centrally appointed Provincial Administration. Rio de Janeiro, which is considerably bigger than the other two cities, does not have a tradition of participation and recent municipal upgrading initiatives fail to demonstrate much meaningful resident involvement.

What emerges is a picture of misunderstanding, mistrust and prejudice. The manipulation of rumour and half-truths within urban low-income communities by the local leadership marginalizes the ‘non-elite’. The lack of communication, indeed competition, between different departments of local administration militate against coherent partnership in the delivery and management of urban infrastructure and services. The authors examine the potential of clearly focused NGOs to generate an awareness within and between low-income communities and local governments for new approaches to communication and capacity-building.

About this title

Book Description:

The current paradigm of “partnership” in urban development and management is widely used and accepted but there is little understanding of what makes partnerships work. The broad premise of this book is that a partnership is a relationship based on an agreement to share both benefits and risks. Partnership depends upon a high level of trust between partners. The authors examine the potential of clearly focused NGOs to generate awareness within and understanding between low-income communities and local governments for new approaches to communication and capacity building.

About the Author:

Patrick Wakely is Professor of Urban Development in London University and former Director of the Development Planning Unit, University College London. An architect by training, he has research, consultancy, and teaching experience in housing and urban development in over 20 developing countries.

About this edition

• Publisher: ITDG Publishing
• Publication date: 2005
• ISBN 10: 1853395986
• ISBN 13: 9781853395987
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 160