PUBLIC DEFENCE – Muhammad Mashhood Arif

“Insights into the (Re)production of Public Spaces through Socio-Spatial Appropriation in Informal Settlements: Case Studies from Lahore, Pakistan.”

  • Date: 16 August 2024
  • Location: Sint-Lucas, Hoogstraat 51, 9000 Ghent, room 142
  • Timing: 4 p.m. CET

Abstract

Urban informality is a complex subject with a long history. The discussion on informality appears trapped between the issues of hypervisibility and illegibility, as well as endurance and impermanence. The interest in informal urban settlements is fueled by rapid demographic growth and accelerated urbanization. These settlements, common in the Global South, are characterized by uncontrolled growth and diverse socio-economic dynamics. As a result, they pose challenges to traditional urban planning approaches.

Despite their widespread existence and importance, there remains a significant gap in understanding how residents of these settlements (re)produce public spaces to fulfill their socio-spatial needs. Public spaces (or open spaces) are often constrained, limiting their public use. Therefore, it is crucial to investigate the nature of their appropriation. These areas serve as a testament to the adaptability of informal settlers, who modify their spatial environments despite numerous challenges. Research is needed to explore the socio-cultural appropriation and spatial dynamics of public spaces within informal settlements.

This study aims to investigate the relationship between residents of informal settlements in Lahore (Pakistan) and the public spaces within these communities. It seeks to understand how these public spaces are appropriated and explores the ways in which residents participate in shaping, reproducing, expressing, and interpreting these areas. By focusing on these dynamics, this research aims to deepen the understanding of informal settlements. The study employs a case study approach, focusing specifically on Zia Colony and Shamaspura Colony as representative examples of informal settlements in Lahore. These case studies examine urban processes within the settlements and consider their interconnectedness with the broader urban environment beyond their immediate neighborhoods.

The research uses both qualitative and quantitative research methods. In this study, qualitative research methods are subdivided into three integrated categories: interviews, systematic observation, and mapping and spatial representation. Together, these data shed light on the processes of spatial appropriation within public spaces of informal settlements. Additionally, a quantitative approach is employed to gain insight into the spatial morphology, using Geographic Information System (GIS) tools. The use of both qualitative and quantitative methods enriches the research findings, providing a diverse perspective on the cases studied.

The study’s results reveal an alternative perspective on addressing urban informal settlements by considering them as organic spatial pockets within the city. Here, social processes offer viable alternatives to the spatial planning frameworks that govern informal neighborhoods. Furthermore, the study reveals the active involvement of residents in rearranging their environment to better meet their needs through everyday spatial practices. This dynamic process leads to the continuous evolution of public spaces, which are constantly shaped by appropriation and incremental adjustments, with positive and negative consequences. The research suggests that contextualizing socio-spatial phenomenon is crucial for making recommendations to policy that serves as a catalyst for promoting urban sustainability.

Jury

Supervisors

Prof. dr. Yves Schoonjans (KU Leuven, Belgium, supervisor)
Prof. dr. Oswald Devisch (UHasselt, Belgium, co-supervisor)

Assessors

Prof.dr. Margarita Greene (Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile)
Prof.dr. Muhammad Asim (University of Engineering & Technology, Pakistan)

External members

Prof.dr. Bruno Notteboom (KU Leuven, Belgium)
Prof.dr. Koen De Wandeler (KU Leuven, Belgium)
Prof.dr. Afia Zubair Raja (University of the Fraser Valley, Canada)

Chair

Prof.dr. Jan Wurm (KU Leuven, Belgium)

The image captures the socio-spatial appropriation of public spaces in an informal settlement in Lahore, Pakistan, depicting residents engaged in everyday practices that collectively (re)produce these spaces for commerce, socializing, and transit amidst the complex structural challenges of urban life.
Photo Credit: Muhammad Mashhood Arif, 2021.