Morphogenesis of forgotten places: A typology of villages-in-the-city in the Global South

Abstract

Sustainable integration of rural settlements into metropolises is one of the most challenging issues in the Global South. Due to rapid urbanisation, various villages, which often have underdeveloped infrastructure and amenities, have been incorporated into cities and have become Villages-in-the-City (ViCs). ViCs represent neighbourhoods that have not been designed by professionals, but they generally have strong social network and house millions of inhabitants. While the proliferation of ViCs within the cities of the Global South has been phenomenal due to their economic, spatial, and social integration with their urban environments, the morphogenesis of ViCs remains largely understudied. By analysing multiple case studies in the Global South using extensive urban mapping, the article puts forward a typology of ViCs characterised by their incorporation process. Four primary types, namely Separation, Oasis, Maze, and Sprawl, are illustrated based on two criteria: the relationship between ViCs and surrounding built-up areas, and incremental development within ViCs. The study raises an emerging question about the visibility of ViCs in relation to the politics of upgrading within cities.