Political Dynamics of Urban Fringe

Efa Tadesse Debele

Abstract: Academia has mostly neglected the political dynamics that has been potentially taken within the area adjacent to urban. A number of studies indicated that urbanization causes political changes in the area where the process is taking place. However, the political dynamics of the urban fringe is basically missing. The emprical studies indicated that urbanization process cause political alteration not only within urban perse but also on the its peripheries. This study dedicates to study the political dynamics happening in the urban periphery. The paper employs both quantitative and qualitative research method to investigate political dynamics of peri-urbanization process. The baseline finding revealed that political patterns of the area were secured and stable. However, unchecked urbanization with alarming rate induced impacts on the overall political patterns of the area. In view of that the community has been politically marginalised from the political arena. They are being politically neglected since they have no decision making power. Their political participation become unthinkable and impossible. By and large, the community have been victimised since they lost their fundamental patterns of life. Since the problems are associated with the lease system and masterplan, the concerned body particularly the government should execute the viable and plausible activities that save the community from total devastation. The community should be vanguard in the political and local development activities. The government should empower the community to have say in their political and administration system and allowed to speak their interest without restriction.

Keywords: Political dynamics, urban fringe, political participation, decision making power