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Neither friend nor enemy: Planning, ambivalence and the invalidation of urban informality in Zimbabwe

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  • Amin Y Kamete

Abstract

Planning relies on the strict classification and disposition of things in space. Intended to establish and maintain order, planning’s classifying practices are reinforced by binarisms that revolve around legality/illegality. The article deploys Bauman’s notion of the ‘stranger’ to recast hostility to informality as a symptom of antipathy against strangerhood and ambivalence. Drawing from qualitative research in urban Zimbabwe, I posit that because informality cannot be pigeonholed as either ‘friend’ or ‘enemy’, it instils a sense of unease in planners. I argue that this is a failure of the pursuit of order through binary antagonisms and contend that fixation with binarisms spawns ‘spatial undecidables’ and fuels resentment against informality. I propose that the notion of strangerhood complements and extends the concept of ‘gray spacing’.

Suggested Citation

  • Amin Y Kamete, 2020. "Neither friend nor enemy: Planning, ambivalence and the invalidation of urban informality in Zimbabwe," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 57(5), pages 927-943, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:urbstu:v:57:y:2020:i:5:p:927-943
    DOI: 10.1177/0042098018821588
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Romola Sanyal, 2014. "Urbanizing Refuge: Interrogating Spaces of Displacement," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 38(2), pages 558-572, March.
    2. Sanyal, Romola, 2014. "Urbanizing refuge: interrogating spaces of displacement," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 52160, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    3. Deborah Potts, 2008. "The urban informal sector in sub-Saharan Africa: from bad to good (and back again?)," Development Southern Africa, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 25(2), pages 151-167.
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    Cited by:

    1. Ian Scoones & Felix Murimbarimba, 2021. "Small Towns and Land Reform in Zimbabwe," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 33(6), pages 2040-2062, December.
    2. Jonathan S. Crush & Lawrence Kazembe & Ndeyapo Nickanor, 2023. "Opportunity and Survival in the Urban Informal Food Sector of Namibia," Businesses, MDPI, vol. 3(1), pages 1-21, February.
    3. Favourate Y Sebele-Mpofu & Nomazulu Moyo, 2021. "An Evil to be Extinguished or a Resource to be harnessed-Informal Sector in Developing Countries: A Case of Zimbabwe," Journal of Economics and Behavioral Studies, AMH International, vol. 13(3), pages 53-72.
    4. Busisiwe Chikomborero Ncube Makore & Sura Al-Maiyah, 2021. "Moving from the Margins: Towards an Inclusive Urban Representation of Older People in Zimbabwe’s Policy Discourse," Societies, MDPI, vol. 11(1), pages 1-21, January.

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