Get 20M+ Full-Text Papers For Less Than $1.50/day. Start a 7-Day Trial for You or Your Team.

Learn More →

Exploring place attachment dynamics in deprived urban neighborhoods: An empirical study of Nima and Old Fadama slums in Accra, Ghana

Exploring place attachment dynamics in deprived urban neighborhoods: An empirical study of Nima... Despite the growing body of literature on place attachment, research on this topic in the Global South remains limited. This is especially concerning given the significant impact of residential environments, such as slums, on the lived experiences of their inhabitants. This paper addresses this gap by examining the dynamics of place attachment in Nima and Old Fadama, the two largest slums in Accra. Specifically, the study investigates how residents of these neighborhoods perceive their places of residence and the factors that underlie these perceptions. Using semi-structured interviews, we found that some participants in Nima exhibited a generally positive sense of place attachment, while most of those from Old Fadama expressed predominantly negative feelings due to the severe deprivations they endure. This study underscores the need to view slums as complex and dynamic urban conditions rather than static and homogeneous environments. By taking a place-based approach, policymakers can better understand the unique needs and perspectives of slum residents, which is critical for developing effective interventions that promote positive place attachment and enhance the overall well-being of these communities. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Journal of Urban Affairs Taylor & Francis

Exploring place attachment dynamics in deprived urban neighborhoods: An empirical study of Nima and Old Fadama slums in Accra, Ghana

Download PDF
22 pages

Loading next page...
 
/lp/taylor-francis/exploring-place-attachment-dynamics-in-deprived-urban-neighborhoods-an-JVMsNJaoH0

References (63)

Publisher
Taylor & Francis
Copyright
© 2023 Urban Affairs Association
ISSN
0735-2166
eISSN
1467-9906
DOI
10.1080/07352166.2023.2232061
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Despite the growing body of literature on place attachment, research on this topic in the Global South remains limited. This is especially concerning given the significant impact of residential environments, such as slums, on the lived experiences of their inhabitants. This paper addresses this gap by examining the dynamics of place attachment in Nima and Old Fadama, the two largest slums in Accra. Specifically, the study investigates how residents of these neighborhoods perceive their places of residence and the factors that underlie these perceptions. Using semi-structured interviews, we found that some participants in Nima exhibited a generally positive sense of place attachment, while most of those from Old Fadama expressed predominantly negative feelings due to the severe deprivations they endure. This study underscores the need to view slums as complex and dynamic urban conditions rather than static and homogeneous environments. By taking a place-based approach, policymakers can better understand the unique needs and perspectives of slum residents, which is critical for developing effective interventions that promote positive place attachment and enhance the overall well-being of these communities.

Journal

Journal of Urban Affairs – Taylor & Francis

Published: Apr 21, 2025

Keywords: Home; place attachment; neighborhoods; slums; sense of belonging; sense of place; Accra

There are no references for this article.