From ‘poor devil’ to middle class? Navigating resettlement and (in)formal reterritorialisation under COVID-19

Abstract

Extensive research has examined the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on precarious informal settlements. However, limited attention has been directed towards its implications in resettlement sites, where relocated residents from poor urban areas often experience long-term vulnerability. This article addresses this gap by investigating how the pandemic shaped ongoing post-relocation integration within a major resettlement site in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The concept of ‘(in)formal reterritorialisation’ is employed to elucidate the complex interplay between formal and informal adaptation endeavours disrupted by the health emergency. Drawing on empirical data, the article untangles how the pandemic exacerbated post-relocation disruptions to social ties and economic mobility, prompting residents to reassess informal settlements as sites of opportunity and solidarity. Conversely, during the outbreak, residents perceived the formal spatial and aesthetic conditions of the resettlement site as providing enhanced protections against the virus, bolstering their sense of belonging and place attachment. The findings underscore the intricate and often-conflicting outcomes that unfold within resettlement territories, critical sites for urban development in the Global South.