Baron, N and Cherenet, Z (2018) Perceptions and pathways of resilience in Addis Ababa. International Journal of Building Pathology and Adaptation, 36(4), pp. 337-352. ISSN 23984708
Abstract
Purpose: Resilience has recently attracted widespread interest in the field of urban planning and theory. However, the research that has been conducted on urban resilience in Africa has major theoretical and methodological gaps. This can lead to problems when designing and implementing resilience strategies there. Understanding African perspectives can be a way of tackling these. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach: Using the example of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, this paper analyses expert interviews based on a grounded theory approach. The goal is to explore locally specific perceptions of and pathways to urban resilience. By comparing these findings to those reported in the existing literature, differences and overlaps are identified. Findings: This study provides evidence for the existence of locally specific perceptions of and pathways to urban resilience. Furthermore, it identifies urban development pathways such as complete urban makeover (tabula rasa) and complete negation of change (resistance). Research limitations/implications: Because this study uses Addis Ababa as a singular case and expert interviews as method, it rather represents an initial attempt at exploring a new research field than claiming generalisability. Its quality and significance lie in its discursive approach and theory formation. Practical implications: This exemplary study from Ethiopia demonstrates that a regionally specific understanding of urban resilience is valuable for the design and implementation of urban resilience strategies. Originality/value: This study offers unique insights into urban resilience from an African perspective and into the manifestation of urban resilience in Addis Ababa.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | Ethiopia; expert interviews; provincializing; qualitative research; urban resilience |
| Index terms: | implementation, urban development, grounded theory, Africa, urban planning, urban resilience, qualitative research, methodology, evidence, strategy, Ethiopia, interview |
| Subjects: | theoretical framing, management, research methods, Geography, urban design, urban planning, sustainability and resilience, contractual arrangements, regions and continents, data collection methods, evaluation and assessment methods, research design and methodology |
| Topics: | Urban Studies, Business Strategy, Geographical Context, Research Practice, Governance, Procurement |
| Descriptive scope: | 5 PCTEA |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here