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Working the Socio‐Natural Relations of the Urban Waterscape in South Africa

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  • ALEX LOFTUS

Abstract

In this article I seek to bring together recent work on ‘the production of nature’ with feminist standpoint theories. I do this in order to explore some of the potentials for democratic change in the South African city of Durban. In spite of the shared methodological assumptions of the two bodies of work, there has been little effort to develop a dialogue. In initiating this, I begin by outlining some of the theoretical foundations underlying the two theories. Then I go on to suggest some of the ways in which a relational approach to urban environments sheds light upon the politics of water service provision in Durban. From this, I suggest that a feminist standpoint approach might open up different possibilities for democratic change. However, I argue that this should begin not from a romantic view of some untainted or non‐reified consciousness of the socio‐natural but rather from the situated knowledges that emerge from the struggle to survive in a world defined by both capitalist and non‐capitalist social relationships.

Suggested Citation

  • Alex Loftus, 2007. "Working the Socio‐Natural Relations of the Urban Waterscape in South Africa," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(1), pages 41-59, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:ijurrs:v:31:y:2007:i:1:p:41-59
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-2427.2007.00708.x
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    Cited by:

    1. Karpouzoglou, Timothy & Marshall, Fiona & Mehta, Lyla, 2018. "Towards a peri-urban political ecology of water quality decline," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 485-493.
    2. Jonathan Silver, 2015. "Disrupted Infrastructures: An Urban Political Ecology of Interrupted Electricity in Accra," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 39(5), pages 984-1003, September.
    3. Shaun Smith, 2019. "Hybrid networks, everyday life and social control: Electricity access in urban Kenya," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 56(6), pages 1250-1266, May.
    4. Karen Bickerstaff & Harriet Bulkeley & Joe Painter, 2009. "Justice, Nature and the City," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(3), pages 591-600, September.
    5. Laura J. Shillington & Ann Marie F. Murnaghan, 2016. "Urban Political Ecologies and Children's Geographies: Queering Urban Ecologies of Childhood," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 40(5), pages 1017-1035, September.
    6. Natasha Cornea & Anna Zimmer & René Véron, 2016. "Ponds, Power and Institutions: The Everyday Governance of Accessing Urban Water Bodies in a Small Bengali City," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 40(2), pages 395-409, March.
    7. Mustafa, Daanish & Altz-Stamm, Amelia & Scott, Laura Mapstone, 2016. "Water User Associations and the Politics of Water in Jordan," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 164-176.
    8. Natasha Cornea & René Véron & Anna Zimmer, 2017. "Clean city politics: An urban political ecology of solid waste in West Bengal, India," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 49(4), pages 728-744, April.
    9. Daanish Mustafa & Philip Reeder, 2009. "‘People Is All That Is Left to Privatize’: Water Supply Privatization, Globalization and Social Justice in Belize City, Belize," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(3), pages 789-808, September.
    10. Karen Coelho, 2022. "URBAN WATERLINES: Socio‐natural Productions of Indifference in an Indian City," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 46(2), pages 160-181, March.

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