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Theories of Urbanization and the Colonial City in West Africa

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 January 2012

J. R. Rayfield
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Extract

The main purpose of this paper is to show how recent research into the process of urbanization in Africa and into the structure of African cities and nations compels us to rethink our theories of urbanization in general.

The relationship between theory and research is a reciprocal one. New research compels the creation of new models, and new models suggest new subjects and methods of research. But both theory and research are affected by politics in the broadest sense of the term. Many African scholars consider the study of modern Africa by Westerners an extension of economic and political colonialism, especially when African cities are studied in terms of Western models. And many African governments, aware of the social problems involved in urbanization, seriously study the work of both African and non-African social scientists. The period since 1960 has been one of rapid development in the study of urbanization in Africa and the rest of the world, and the African material should throw new light on general theories of urbanization.

Résumé

THÉORIES SUR L'URBANISATION ET LA VILLE COLONIALE DANS L'AFRIQUE OCCIDENTALE

DES recherches récentes concernant le processus d'urbanisation en Afrique et la structure des villes africaines exigent une remise en question des théories générales sur l'urbanisation.

En étudiant la littérature récente traitant de l'urbanisation en Afrique Occidentale, les implications les plus importantes sont les suivantes:

1. Les relations entre les institutions et les cultures rurales et urbaines;

2. Les similitudes et les différences entre la ville africaine moderne et (a) les villes africaines traditionnelles, (b) les villes occidentales subissant les conséquences de la révolution industrielle, (c) les villes occidentales modernes;

3. Les structures de la ville africaine comprenant une élite autochtone prenant la place du gouvernement colonial et une population constituée pour la plus grande part d'émigrants récents venus des zônes rurales proches ou lointaines.

La comparaison entre, d'une part, l'urbanisation dans l'Afrique moderne et l'urbanisation pendant les deux périodes précédentes de l'histoire africaine et, d'autre part, l'urbanisation dans le monde antique, le monde médiéval et la période de la révolution industrielle, montre que le processus d'urbanisation est le même au point de vue des structures dans toutes ces situations; les seules différences résident dans les données quantifiables et relatives de cette urbanisation ainsi que dans la somme des renseignements disponibles.

Type
Research Article
Information
Africa , Volume 44 , Issue 2 , April 1974 , pp. 163 - 185
Copyright
Copyright © International African Institute 1974

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