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Towards becoming a property owner in the city: From being displaced to becoming a citizen in urban DR Congo

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  • Jacobs, Carolien
  • Ruhamya Mugenzi, Joachim
  • Lubala Kubiha, Stanislas
  • Assumani, Innocent

Abstract

Sustainable local settlement in the area of refuge is considered one of the durable solutions to displacement, but not so much is known about ways in which internally displaced persons (IDPs) self-settle in urban settings. Based on two qualitative research projects carried out amongst IDPs in an urban setting in the conflict-affected east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), this paper explores the main stages of settlement of IDPs, ranging from being hosted to becoming a formal owner of a plot. Combining theoretical perspectives from refugee studies and land studies, the paper investigates to what extent the different stages of settlement bring tenure security to IDPs. Policy often assumes that formal ownership is desirable as it provides tenure security and subsequently economic investment opportunities. Our data show that even formal ownership does not provide adequate tenure security when the rule of law is lacking and that obtaining ‘access’ to a property is more critical than obtaining rights. Yet, IDPs nevertheless continue to aspire ownership that is as formal as possible. We argue that this is related to the social status of ownership that helps to transform somebody from an outsider that does not belong in the city to a resident that is entitled to claim her/his right to the city and benefit from the advantages that come with belonging to urban space. There is thus a strong mutual relationship between social status and connections on the one hand and tenure security and access to housing on the other hand that feed into people’s sense of belonging.

Suggested Citation

  • Jacobs, Carolien & Ruhamya Mugenzi, Joachim & Lubala Kubiha, Stanislas & Assumani, Innocent, 2019. "Towards becoming a property owner in the city: From being displaced to becoming a citizen in urban DR Congo," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 350-356.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:lauspo:v:85:y:2019:i:c:p:350-356
    DOI: 10.1016/j.landusepol.2019.04.009
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Christian Lund, 2011. "Property and Citizenship: Conceptually Connecting Land Rights and Belonging in Africa," Africa Spectrum, Institute of African Affairs, GIGA German Institute of Global and Area Studies, Hamburg, vol. 46(3), pages 71-75.
    2. Jean‐Louis Van Gelder, 2009. "Legal Tenure Security, Perceived Tenure Security and Housing Improvement in Buenos Aires: An Attempt towards Integration," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(1), pages 126-146, March.
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    Cited by:

    1. Pietro De Marinis & Samuele De Petris & Filippo Sarvia & Giacinto Manfron & Evelyn Joan Momo & Tommaso Orusa & Gianmarco Corvino & Guido Sali & Enrico Mondino Borgogno, 2021. "Supporting Pro-Poor Reforms of Agricultural Systems in Eastern DRC (Africa) with Remotely Sensed Data: A Possible Contribution of Spatial Entropy to Interpret Land Management Practices," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-22, December.

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