Urban Informality : Experiences and Urban Sustainability Transitions in Middle East Cities

This professional book introduces an analytical framework of urban informality perspectives in the Middle East that is aligned with the Global South. The context of Egypt, Lebanon, and Jordan―in the Middle East― is the transregional focus of this book. In these contexts, the book opens a new arena of academic discussion on the theory and practice of urban informality. Urban Informality: Experiences and Urban Sustainability Transitions in Middle East Cities questions urban informality, "as a site of transitions", interrelated and interlinked with urban sustainability transitions in speedy changes in a given environment. The book presents ‘urban informality sustainability transitions’ regarding resilience and adaptability that require shifts in urban systems. Shifts from a static process to a dynamic process that eradicates the fragmentation between the tensions, anxieties, and pressures of four modes of production, reproduction, consumptions, and distribution of goods and services in the city and its practices. Finally, through eleven chapters, the concluding remarks explore to what extent and how can urban informality transitions be sustainable. Foreword by Hernando De Soto Foreword by Nezar Al Sayyad Preface Acknowledgment Contents Abbreviations Part I: Objectives, Substantive Issues, and Structure of This Book Chapter 1: Scientific, Knowledgeable Background, and Book Architecture 1.1 Introduction 1.2 Emergence of Urban informality 1.3 Reflection of Urban Sustainability Transitions on Urban Informality 1.4 Contributing to Urban Informality Transitions 1.5 Book Presentation and Chapter Contributions 1.5.1 Part One: Objectives, Substantive Issues, and Structure of This Book 1.5.2 Part Two: Urban Informality Transitions in Middle Eastern Cities 1.5.2.1 The Sustainability Transitions, Governance, and Urban informality 1.5.2.2 Urbanization in the Era of Globalization and the Arab Spring 1.5.2.3 The Paradigm of Urban Informality: Laws, Norms, and Practices 1.5.2.4 State Power, Society, Economy, and Urban Informality 1.5.2.5 Land Rights, Governance, and Urban Informality 1.5.2.6 Social Exclusive Versus Inclusive, Marginality, and Urban Informality 1.5.3 Part Three: Cross-Regional Scene 1.5.3.1 A Puzzle of Urban Informality Transitions in Egypt 1.5.3.2 The Pocket of Urban Informality Transitions in Lebanon 1.5.3.3 Hills of Urban Informality Transitions in Jordan 1.5.4 Part Four: Epilogue References Part II: Urban Informality Transitions in Middle Eastern Cities Chapter 2: Governance and Sustainability Transitions in Urban Informality 2.1 Introduction 2.2 The Roots of Sustainable Development 2.3 Understanding Sustainability Transitions 2.3.1 Systemic Innovation of Sustainability Transitions Challenges 2.3.2 The Multi-level Perspective on Sustainability Transitions 2.4 Sustainability Transitions Management 2.5 Sustainability Transitions Management of Urban Informality 2.6 Conclusion References Chapter 3: Urbanization and Urban Informality in the Era of Globalization 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Urbanization and Urban Transitions 3.3 Demographic Changes and Shifts 3.3.1 Demographic Dynamics 3.3.2 Rural-Urban Migration 3.4 Political Mobilization 3.5 Urban Conflict 3.6 Conclusion References Chapter 4: The Paradigm of Urban Informality: Laws, Norms, and Practices 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Roots of Urban Informality 4.3 Diversity and Complexity of Urban Informality 4.4 Social Network and Urban Informality 4.5 Reflections on the Linkage Between Capital, Liberalization, and Urban Informality 4.6 Conclusion References Chapter 5: State Power, Society, Economy, and Urban Informality 5.1 Introduction 5.2 The Shifting Liaison of the State and Civil Society 5.3 State, Capital, Society, and Housing 5.4 The State and Housing 5.5 Political Strain 5.6 Retrospect and Prospect References Chapter 6: Land Rights, Governance, and Urban Informality 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Land Conversion 6.3 Urban Land Management 6.4 Land Ownership, Tenure and Title 6.5 Land Market Forces 6.6 Conclusion References Chapter 7: Social Exclusivity Versus Inclusivity, Marginality, and Urban Informality 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Urban Socio-Spatial Divide 7.3 Marginality and Informality 7.4 Social Exclusion 7.5 Social Cohesion and Urban Informality 7.6 Conclusion References Part III: Cross-Regional Scene Chapter 8: The Puzzle of Urban Sustainability Transitions in Urban Informality in Egypt 8.1 Introduction 8.2 Sprawl of Urban Informality in Egypt 8.3 Political Economy and Socio-Spatial Transitions in Urban Informality 8.3.1 Political Economy Transitions 8.3.2 Institutionalizing Informal Areas 8.3.3 Social Capital and Exclusion Transitions 8.4 Urban Transition on Urban Informality 8.5 Conclusion References Chapter 9: Pockets of Urban Informality in Lebanon 9.1 Introduction 9.2 Urbanization Sprawl and the Creation of Urban Informality 9.3 Urban Informality Transitions 9.4 Political Economic Transitions 9.5 Social Capital and Exclusion 9.6 Conclusion References Chapter 10: Hills of Urban Informality in Greater Amman, Jordan 10.1 Introduction 10.2 Urban Transitions of Transjordan 10.3 Urban Informality Transitions 10.4 Political Economic Transitions 10.5 Social Segregation and Marginality 10.6 Conclusion References Part IV: Epilogue Chapter 11: A Credible Future 11.1 Introduction 11.2 Sustainability, the Urbanization Era, and Urban Informality Transitions 11.3 Cross-regional Scene and Urban Informality 11.4 Discussion References Bibliography Author Index Subject Index City Index This book develops an analytical framework for a serious investigation of the historical specificities of cities of the Global South within three Mediterranean areas and inland territories. Its starting point is the research on urban informality in three different environments; one has experienced tremendous socio-economic transformation, while the other two have experienced the conflict that occurred in the Middle East under a free-market-oriented imposed system. The book provides a unique overview of urban informality within the region. This book draws upon experience and intensive work on the definitions and taxonomies of urban informality in the Global South. It investigates urban informality as a site of transitions in different socioeconomic, socio-spatial, and political contexts, concerning theories and practice, to strengthen understanding of sustainable transition processes. It explores how urban informality operates in the context of comparative cross-national perspectives that meet the SDGs and the NUA. The book enables policymakers, planners, and designers to think about urban informality as a dynamic multi-dimensional phenomenon, or as a site of transitions, within a built environment embedded in specific contexts. It arrives at the full package of resilient benefits provided by urban informality and even the different basic ways in which a better way of life can become manifest. This book opens a new scientific discussion between urban informality and sustainability transition perspectives, between conceptual and empirical, and between structural and practical. Geoffrey Payne, Geoffrey Payne and Associates It is often assumed that informality is simply the opposite of formality -- a binary structure of opposites. However, the academic literature has exposed it as far more layered and complex than this and the analysis by Professor Soliman demonstrates convincingly and comprehensively, the multi-layered nature of urban informality in Egypt and the Middle East in general. Overlapping legal forms of land tenure and property rights, together with variations both within as well as between settlements, make it vital to understand this complexity in order that policies to address it are evidence based. This book offers a synopsis of urban informality in the Middle East, ongoing research on the governance of sustainability transitions and how to deal with urban informality in the context of sustainability transitions. This provides an essential foundation for understanding the complexity of informality, reasons why it exists, the positive as well as negative features and the options for reducing it. It is essential reading for all involved in addressing the issue in a region of the world where the relationship between formal and informal development of land and housing is critical to social and economic development