The Dynamics of Grassroots Mobilization
Social Movements, Eviction and Involuntary Resettlement
A demolished home in Kurasini, Dar es Salaam.
Photo: Michael Hooper
Title
The Dynamics of Grassroots Mobilization: Social Movements, Eviction and Involuntary Resettlement
Principal Investigator
Location
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Sponsor
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (Canada), American Planning Association (International Division)
Dates of project
2007-Present
As multilateral organizations and aid agencies increasingly advocate bottom-up and community-led approaches to development, it is critical to understand the dynamics and consequences of grassroots mobilization. This project addresses two related questions that strike at the heart of our understanding of collective action, community mobilization, and urban politics in the developing world. The first is, what motivates social movement participation by the urban poor? The second is, how does social movement participation impact the ability of individuals to cope with key development challenges? These two questions are explored through a detailed study of community mobilization around eviction and involuntary resettlement in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania.
Publications
Hooper, M. and L. Ortolano. 2012. “Confronting Urban Displacement: Social Movement Participation and Post- Eviction Resettlement Success in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.” Journal of Planning Education and Research, 32[3]: 278-288.
Hooper, M. and L. Ortolano. 2012. “Motivations for Slum Dweller Social Movement Participation in Urban Africa: A Study of Mobilization in Kurasini, Dar es Salaam.” Environment and Urbanization, 24[1]: 99-114.
