Power to the People: The opportunities of human agency for building a resilient city

The importance of strengthening the resilience of cities has never been more urgent. Faced with competing and intersecting challenges of rapid urbanisation, inequity and injustice, poverty, urban degradation and climate change, the intensification of risks for cities urges a transformative developmental approach to resilience building that acknowledges the complex vulnerability profiles facing many communities today. Alongside the criticality of other parallel developmental challenges, resilience building in developing regions like Africa often has to tackle deeper systemic causes of vulnerability that require a focus on building the capacity of urban systems, considering an approach that acknowledges local needs and priorities, whilst also, unlocking potential for social transformation. This research explores the impact that human agency may have on strengthening a community beyond their immediate developmental demands, to enable them to act, self-organise and thrive within their local, personal environment and lives. It aims to explain the relationship between having an ability to act, and the capacity to continue, and the possible influence on marginalised communities with complex vulnerability profiles. This relationship is examined within a context of a particular set of institutional conditions implemented as part of a case study in Noordgesig, Johannesburg, South Africa. Through an analysis of the process, the study traces which elements, and how human agency was built, what correlative impact was established on the community’s resilience, and the opportunities presented in establishing a human-centred approach to building resilience.

The research adopts a single case study strategy informed by both primary and secondary data. Thirteen semi-structured interviews were carried out with citizens who participated in the project. Three experts who formed part of the project team were also interviewed. In addition secondary data was gathered from local and social media sources and project records.

The data analysis reveals rich insights into the relationship between human agency and community resilience, showing the correlative impacts of developing an ability to act in the community and their transformative, self-development of capacity to not only continue, but proactively change the course of their lives. It was found that once enabled, the community significantly increased independent action to improve their lives and livelihoods.

The findings suggest a transformative and integrated approach to building resilient cities and holds enticing proposals for future policy making in the domain, integrating strands of knowledge from both urban, and human development.