Urban fragments or fractals of resilience? A systematic review of empirical cases of gated communities in Accra, Ghana

Abstract

The development of gated communities within the urban realm in Ghana has become a major concern for urban planning and governance. As an aspect of the broader urban system, gated communities have a preponderant effect on the urban fabric and the achievement of urban resilience. Under the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) particularly Goal 11, resilience has become the preoccupation of urban planning and governance. Also, there is the realization that resilient communities are building blocks of a resilient and sustainable city. The paper argues that despite the increase in scholarship on gated communities in Ghana, no attempt has been made to relate the development of gated communities to urban resilience in spatial and temporal scales. Therefore, using systematic review methodology, the paper assessed the gated communities and urban resilience nexus in the rapidly urbanizing city of Accra, Ghana. The results revealed a dichotomous stance which portrays gated communities as both drawbacks (fragments) and promoters (fractals) of urban resilience. The paper further proffers policy recommendations and highlights empirical gaps pertaining to the gated community and urban resilience discourse in Ghana.