The role of institutional logics during participation in urban processes and projects: Insights from a comparative analysis of upgrading fifteen informal settlements in Kenya

George Kiambuthi Wainaina*, Bernhard Truffer, Christoph Lüthi

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

The academic literature largely acknowledges participation as a key condition for the successful upgrading of informal settlements. However, how individual participative actions of different actor groups and reactions of dwellers combine to influence project outcomes of upgrading processes has not been studied. This article posits that different combinations of presence or absence of collaborative interactions between dwellers and other actors will decisively predict the success and failure of projects. Specifically, we argue that interactions between different groups of implementers and dwellers are conditioned by distinctive value systems—institutional logics—, which provide specific challenges to establishing collaborative interactions with dwellers as the actors conduct their roles. We identify sufficient combinations of participative actions that may lead to successful upgrading using qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) on 15 informal settlements in Kenya's secondary towns that were recently upgraded. Our findings indicate that participation has to consider a multiplicity of actors, who are guided by different logics; it has to span over the whole implementation cycle. It also has to deal reflexively with the issue of representation of the community. This extends the understanding of participation to a perspective that emphasizes the capabilities of implementers to enact collaborative relationships by bridging between their own and the community's institutional logic.

Original languageEnglish
Article number103799
Pages (from-to)1-12
Number of pages12
JournalCities
Volume128
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Sept 2022

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This research was funded by EAWAG Discretionary funds. We also thank Prof. James T Murphy, Dr. Maryse Chappin, Dr. Manuel Fischer and the anonymous reviewers for their reviews and inputs throughout the writing process.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 The Author(s)

Funding

This research was funded by EAWAG Discretionary funds. We also thank Prof. James T Murphy, Dr. Maryse Chappin, Dr. Manuel Fischer and the anonymous reviewers for their reviews and inputs throughout the writing process.

Keywords

  • Informal settlement upgrading
  • Institutional logics
  • Kenya
  • Participation
  • Qualitative comparative analysis

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