Geog 330:

Sustainable Cities &

Development
Lecture 1
 Lecturer: Alice Morrison

Where to find me : Room 8a Geography Dept. at the end of the

passage

Contact me: morrisona@ukzn.ac.za or

alice.morrison.geog110@gmail.com

Consultation times for 330: Tuesday after the lecture (in my office) or
contact me via email to make an appointment

NB NB NBI EXPECT YOU TO TAKE NOTES WHILE I LECTURE

 Aims & Outcomes of the Course:
AT THE END OF THIS COURSE YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO:
o Assess theoretical and conceptual interpretations of urbanisation in
the Third World Cities;
o examine the nature and process of urbanisation in the developing
world;
o study the evolution, morphology and characteristics of cities in the
developing world;
o examine the role and status of women in third world cities;
o analyse problems experienced in third world cities;
o and suggest policy options, especially in terms of realisation of the
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in urban areas.
 An important Question What is
Development?
Development is linked to the concept of modernity.
What is modernity?
Modernity changes over time and also spatially.
What is modern in one place maybe outdated elsewhere.
Due to social, economic, political and cultural dynamics.
To be more specific modernity is a term which can be used to
describe patterns of society and economy based on the western
experience.
For economic terms modernity encompasses industrialisation,
urbanisation and the increased use of technology within all sectors of
the economy.
Link to sustainability.
 What is Development?
Gasper (2004), citing Thomas (2001) recognises a number of
different uses of the word development in development studies
literature
1. Development as a fundamental or structural change e.g. an
increase in income
2. Development as intervention and action, aimed at
improvement, regardless of whether betterment is, in fact
actually achieved
3. Development as improvement, with good as the outcome
4. Development as the platform for improvement encompassing
changes that willfacilitate development in the future
Alternative interpretations of development (From Rigg, 1997)
GOOD
o Development brings economic growth
o Development brings overall national progress
o Development brings modernisation along Western lines
o Development improves basic needs
o Development can help create sustainable growth
o Development brings improved governance
BAD
Development is a dependent and subordinate process
Development is a process creating and widening spatial inequalities
Development undermines local cultures and values
Development perpetuates poverty and poor living and working
conditions
Development is often environmentally unsustainable
Development infringes human rights and undermines democracy
 Use of Third World
Third World-Africa ,Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean.
Originally used to describe those countries who were part of the
non- aligned movement- do not support the capitalist USA or the
communist USSR during the cold war.
Preferring a third way.
First World consists of industrialised capitalist nations such as Western
Europe, the USA,Canada,Japan, New Zealand and Austria while the
Second world was the communist bloc of the USSR and Eastern
Europe.
Sort of a hierarchy.
However, collapse of state-socialism (1980s- early1990s) distinction
has been removed.
Generally common heritage of colonialism and a legacy of poverty.
 Common characteristics of Developing Cities:
Impact with global economy.
Global capitalism.
Common economic and political forces to shape Third World Cities.
Debt Problems.
Characteristics high rise city centres, increase squatter settlements,
flourishing informal sectors and corrupt government.