Urban growth, resilience, and violence

Abstract

Cities undergoing rapid growth are at risk of outbreaks of violence as competition over scarce resources and space intensifies. In this context, it is critical to identify conditions that make cities and their inhabitants resilient to violence. We review research findings about the general relationship between urban growth and the violence-proneness of cities, as well as insights about the factors that underpin violence–resilience in three different areas: 1) urban governance and planning, 2) security institutions, and 3) the everyday practices of urban dwellers. We argue that in order to understand cities’ resilience to violence, we need to account for both the mechanisms linking urban growth to violence, and the possible conflict resolution and mitigation mechanisms present in cities.