Social inclusion of urban villages: A systematic review of global urban planning practices

Abstract

Urban villages, erstwhile rural areas absorbed by expanding cities due to unprecedented urbanization, are a growing phenomenon in many developing nations. These villages are often ignored by the policymakers, despite their economic contributions. Today, integration of urban villages into formal city planning persists as a substantial challenge, especially in the Global South. The lack of specific village planning strategies has aggravated their marginalization from the broader urban environment. To better understand this challenge, this study uses a Systematic Quantitative Literature Review (SQLR) methodology to explore global urban planning practices contributing to the social inclusion and exclusion of urban villages. By using a thematic framework, the research reveals how dynamics like urbanization and migration drive emergence of high-density, mixed-use urban villages, enduring substandard built-environment and socio-spatial segregation. The review identifies demolition-led redevelopment, incremental upgradation, and self-help mechanisms, as exclusionary paradigms hindering villages' inclusion. Five inclusive approaches: urban design and placemaking; in-situ redevelopment; community-driven incrementalism; responsive governance; and socio-economic support emerge as effective mechanisms towards urban villages' integration. The review calls for a paradigm shift towards inclusive, context-specific participatory planning approaches, prioritizing residents' needs over economic benefits. There are also significant geographic gaps in the existing scholarly literature in relation to inclusive urban village planning and governance globally. Hence, the paper calls for a more geographically inclusive research agenda, exploring cross-context comparative case studies of urban villages particularly from underrepresented geographies, utilizing a multi-lingual approach to deepen understanding. The findings inform policymakers and practitioners in formulating just and socially inclusive urban village development.