Spatial fragmentation and self-organisation: a negative relationship in Brazilian metropolises

Igor Tempels Moreno Pessoa

doi:10.1590/2175-3369.011.e20180002

Abstract

Abstract While Brazilian metropolises are spatially fragmented, at the same time they have abundant bottom-up, spontaneous, self-organised initiatives that usually emerge as a response to weak or negligent public authorities. Both phenomena are influencing Brazilian metropolises, but we do not know how they influence each other. This paper aims to answer the question: To what extent does spatial fragmentation influence self-organised initiatives? The article is based on analysis of data collected in the municipality of São Paulo. It first develops a theoretical reflection on both concepts, fragmentation and self-organisation, followed by an outline of the methods and analysis. The work is based on a series of in-depth interviews and field observations of six self-organised initiatives. The results show that the spatial fragmentation pattern observed in São Paulo is defined by a strongly polarised urban structure that heavily influences the operation of self-organised initiatives. This imposes a limitation on the work area of self-organised initiatives. The study indicates that the relationship between spatial fragmentation and self-organised initiatives, however, is not straightforward. Moreover, spatial fragmentation hinders the expansion of the work of self-organised initiatives.

Highlights

Since the 1960s, urbanisation in Brazil has been changing the country from a predominantly rural society, with less than half the population living in cities in 1960, to a highly urbanised society, with an 84.5% urbanisation rate in 2010 (IBGE, 2015b)
Acknowledging that self-organisation is highly influenced by local conditions, this paper addresses the relationship between spatial fragmentation and some self-organised initiatives in the city of São Paulo in detail
The aim of this article is to develop the theoretical debate around the two concepts and elaborate on how spatial fragmentation could have a negative influence on self-organised initiatives

Summary

Introduction

Since the 1960s, urbanisation in Brazil has been changing the country from a predominantly rural society, with less than half the population living in cities in 1960, to a highly urbanised society, with an 84.5% urbanisation rate in 2010 (IBGE, 2015b) This phenomenon was accompanied by a population increase of 270% (IBGE, 2015a), resulting in the massive growth of urban population. Conventional urban planning tools, such as zoning strategies and top-down master plans, have successively failed to provide services, and even affordable housing in the formal sector, as needed by the population. While these conventional urban planning tools were not successful, Brazilian metropolises have become fertile ground for bottom-up, self-organised initiatives. As can be observed in some of the cases analysed below, the initiatives emerged from a popular need that was not being effectively addressed by state institutions

Objectives

Methods

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Conclusion