Co-production of Knowledge on Diversity in Precarious Neighborhoods: A Key to Renewed Urban Thinking and Policies

The New Urban Agenda calls for an urban paradigm shift. The scope and rhythm of urban expansion, 40% of which is informal, call for renewed thinking and policies about the future city. Popular neighbourhoods show many examples of adaptation to climate change or innovative urban forms. Inner resources, skills and capabilities of the residents to improve living conditions and spatial justice are a source of inspiration for new urban interventions, beyond the references to the “classical” city used by most policy makers, experts or donors. Finally, precarious neighbourhoods should not be reduced to homogeneous groups of residents, to be “treated” identically while diversity is key to integrated urban development. Each neighbourhood is unique and has an original urban pattern and social and economic features. Shared knowledge of these diverse areas is a considerable challenge for local authorities, residents, professionals, NGOs and researchers. It opens up the way for recognition of these areas’ potential for inspiring the future city. The possibility of managing urban development depends on a co-produced understanding of social and spatial realities. It is a key to grasp new paths for participatory upgrading strategies. This requires using adequate methods, tools and co-training dedicated to professionals, researchers, CBO’s and city dwellers. The event will explore innovative approaches of coproduced knowledge ; It will provide focus on better spatial interactive cartography and planning involving communities (Takween Integrated Community Development Egypt); In-depth diagnosis of existing situations and their links to policies and action (GRET Haiti, Agence Perspectives Burkina Faso) ; Challenges towards recognition and adapted policy (Yangon City Development Committee, Myanmar); Inflexions revealed in the categories of thought from field researches and applied research (IRD and LAVUE/CNRS, two main French national research institutes). A new book will be launched, Rethinking precarious neighbourhoods, by the French Development Agency (AFD).