Participation in the ‘right to the city': Democratic imaginings and the role of collective action

In response to the rising significance of cities and unique manifestations of urban poverty, Henri Lefebvre’s (1968) ‘right to the city’ (RTTC) holds the potential to operate as a powerful new articulation of rights for the disenfranchised urban poor. At its heart, this paradigm advocates for a conception of citizenship as participation, requiring a fundamental re-imagination of democratic processes at the city-level. With this in mind, this paper explores the institutional arrangements that facilitate this radical dialogue, making the linkages between democracy, collective action, and the RTTC. 

Within informal settlements, one such ‘democratic re-imagining’ is represented by Shack/Slum Dwellers International (SDI)—networked residents that employ strategies of collective action to secure settlement improvements. The strength of their innovative methodologies is demonstrated in successful tangible outputs (improved access to water, sanitation, and housing) but also in its empowering effect, creating new spaces for resident participation in city governance. While these successes have been explored in detail, less attention has been focused on how the SDI methodology interprets the underlying normative and procedural debates on democracy, and the extent to which this orientation successfully stimulates radical transformative change as imagined by Lefebvre.

 Focusing specifically on four elements: the design of democracy, collective identity, the nature of citizen-state engagement, and the role of institutionalisation, this article draws out the major theoretical discussions underpinning participatory processes. These debates and implications are illustrated through the case study examination of Muungano, the SDI-member federation working within the settlements of Nairobi, Kenya. Ultimately this article aims to reflect on the role of ‘participation’, exploring the ways in which the RTTC can guide a more transformative practice and contribute to the expansion of social justice in the city.