Migration governance as place making: South African experiences
Journal of Place Management and Development
ISSN: 1753-8335
Article publication date: 14 February 2019
Issue publication date: 11 July 2019
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to explore the role of migrants in the process of place making, through case studies of migrant engagement with municipal planning in five South African municipalities.
Design/methodology/approach
This study draws on empirical research carried out over two years, using mixed methods research in each municipal case study. Data come from key stakeholder interviews, participant observation, focus groups and demographic data to understand the perceptions and practices of local government officials and migrants within the community.
Findings
This research demonstrated that local government officials are assuming a population that is sedentary and geographically bounded, while migration is actively shaping communities. This mobility provides an opportunity for management practices to become more inclusive and effective.
Originality/value
By examining systems of local governance through the lens of a mobile population, new possibilities emerge about the ways migrant participation can contribute to the definitions of a place.
Keywords
Citation
Blaser Mapitsa, C. (2019), "Migration governance as place making: South African experiences", Journal of Place Management and Development, Vol. 12 No. 3, pp. 391-407. https://doi.org/10.1108/JPMD-11-2017-0116
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2019, Emerald Publishing Limited