Abstract
This chapter examines the sense of belonging in urban resettlement, focusing on Wanathamulla in Colombo. Comparing relocatees in high-rise flats (Sinhapura and Sahaspura) with underserved neighbourhood residents, the chapter reveals challenges in assimilating into the new community. Negative social connotations and low self-esteem in Wanathamulla contribute to a weak sense of belonging among the residents. The practical usability of the flats is appreciated but insufficient to foster strong emotional attachment, resulting in an overall low sense of belonging. Social issues like drug dealing and conflicts further hinder community cohesion, and the primary sense of belonging for the relocatees remains tied to their original underserved communities. The chapter emphasizes the importance of relocating close-knit groups together to maintain social connections and enhance the overall sense of belonging, urging authorities to nurture conditions that foster cohesive communities in urban resettlement sites.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Similar content being viewed by others
Notes
- 1.
Sustainable Housing for the Poor:https://www.lth.se/fileadmin/hdm/alumni/papers/SDD_2007_242a/Deepika_Fernando__Sri_Lanka.pdf
- 2.
Refers to the people/communities already residing in the location where the high-rises have been built. Although the high-rises are unoccupied at the time of relocation, there have been some underserved communities already residing in Wanathamulla.
- 3.
See previous comment.
“I grew up here and we’ve never had any problems living here. Even if there is a fight, it is resolved very quickly. It is so safe that we can even leave the children alone at home. We live here happily. We’ve never had any problems even with the drug addicts.”—(Halgahakumbura, Female)
- 4.
Royal College is a prestigious boys’ school situated in Colombo 07.
References
Antonsich, M. (2010). Searching for belonging—An analytical framework. Geography Compass, 4(6), 644–659.
Ariyawansa, R. G. (2009). Housing for the poor and land for the city development: A case of Sustainable Township Program in the city of Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Breakwell, G. M. (1986). Coping with Threatened Identity. Methuen.
Brooks, F., Zugazaga, C., Wolk, J., & Adams, M. A. (2005). Resident perceptions of housing, neighborhood, and economic conditions after relocation from public housing undergoing HOPE VI redevelopment. Research on Social Work Practice, 15(6), 481–490.
Clampet-Lundquist, S. (2007). No more’ Bois ball. The effect of relocation from public housing on adolescents. Journal of Adolescent Research, 22(3), 298–323.
Cobigo, V., Martin, L., & Mcheimech, R. (2016). Understanding Community. Canadian Journal of Disability Studies, 5(4), 181–203. https://doi.org/10.15353/cjds.v5i4.318
Dixon, J., Durrheim, K. & Di Masso, A. (2014). Places, Identities and Geopolitical Change: Exploring the Strengths and Limits of Identity Process Theory In Jaspal, R., & Breakwell, G. M. (Eds.). Identity process theory: Identity, social action and social change. Cambridge University Press.
Doff, W., & Kleinhans, R. (2011). Residential outcomes of forced relocation: Lifting a corner of the veil on neighbourhood selection. Urban Studies, 48(4), 661–680.
Garakani, S. A., Lak, A., & Niyasati, M. (2020). Toward sustainable development in post-flood relocation of rural settlements in Iran. International journal of disaster resilience in the built environment.
Jaspal, R. (2014). Social Psychological Debates about Identity In Jaspal, R., & Breakwell, G. M. (Eds.). Identity Process Theory: Identity, Social Action and Social Change. Cambridge University Press.
Jayaratne, K.A. (2005). Urban Agriculture as a Mechanism for Urban Upgrading. UA Magazine, 21–22.
Joseph, M., & Chaskin, R. J. (2010). Living in a mixed-income development: Resident perceptions of the benefits and disadvantages of two developments in Chicago. Urban Studies, 47(11), 2347–2366.
Knez, I. (2005). Attachment and identity as related to a place and its perceived climate. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 25(2), 207–218.
Lakshman, I., Herath, D., Mohommad, A., & Ekanayake, A. (2016). Experiences of a relocated community in Colombo: case study of Sinhapura, Wanathamulla. International Centre for Ethnic Studies, Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Lakshman, I. M., Alikhan, M. M., & Azam, A. (2020). Finding ‘Reasons to Stay’ Amidst Issues of Well-Being: A Case Study of Two Underserved Communities in Colombo. European Scientific Journal, ESJ, 16(35), 94. https://doi.org/10.19044/esj.2020.v16n35p94
Mahar, A. L., Cobigo, V., & Stuart, H. (2013). Conceptualizing belonging. Disability and Rehabilitation, 35(12), 1026–1032.
Niriella, C.N. (2012). Urban Poor: Emerging Issues and Areas of Intervention, Saarbrucken, Germany: Lambert Academic Publishing (LAP) GmbH & Co. KG.
Peng, W., López-Carr, D., Wu, C., Wang, X., & Longcore, T. (2020). What factors influence the willingness of protected area communities to relocate? China’s ecological relocation policy for Dashanbao Protected Area. Science of the Total Environment, 727, 138364.
Pfaff-Czarnecka J., (2020). From ‘identity’ to ‘belonging’ in social research: Plurality, social boundaries, and the politics of the self. European Scientific Journal, ESJ, 16(s1), 115. https://doi.org/10.19044/esj.2020.v16s1p115
Popkin, S. J., Katz, B., Cunningham, M. K., Brown, K. D., Gustafson, J., & Turner, M. A. (2004). A decade of HOPE VI: Research findings and policy challenges. Urban Institute and Brookings Institution.
Posthumus, H. (2013). Displacement myths. The real and presumed effects of forced relocations resulting from urban renewal. Utrecht: Faculteit Geowetenschappen, Universiteit Utrecht.
Rebello, H., (2016). Sense of Community and Sense of Belonging How the communities are built in Brazilian favelas and how that can be applied to social housing areas. Urban Shelter Theory 2016, Housing Development & Management – HDM, Department of Architecture and Built Environment, Faculty of Engineering, Lund University. https://www.hdm.lth.se/fileadmin/hdm/Education/Undergrad/ABAN06_2016/Sense_of_community_and_sense_of_belonging_-_Heloisa_Rebello.pdf, accessed 06 February 2022.
Samarathunga, T. C. (2012). High-density high-rise vertical living: An appropriate housing solution for low-income people in Colombo, Sri Lanka? (Doctoral dissertation). University of Moratuwa.
Thilakarathna, K. A. A. N. (2018). A sociological perspective on the laksanda sevana (third stage) housing scheme project. Journal of Studies in Social Sciences and Humanities, 4(2), 39–46.
Twigger-Ross, C. L., & Uzzell, D. L. (1996). Place and identity processes. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 16(3), 205–220.
Visser, K. (2020). “I really wanted to stay in the same neighbourhood…”: Neighbourhood choice and satisfaction in the context of forced relocation—young people’s perspectives. Journal of Housing and the Built Environment, 35(2), 443–460.
Wijayasinghe, S. L. D. K. (2010). Factors contributing to the failure of development induced resettlement projects: A case study of the” Sahaspura” slum relocation project, Colombo. Colombo, Sri Lanka, Erasmus University, Rotterdam.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2023 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Lakshman, I.M., Azam, M.N.A. (2023). From a Horizontal to a Vertical Lifestyle: Impact of Relocation on Sense of Belonging. In: Lakshman, R.W.D., Rajan, S.I. (eds) Forced Migration and Urban Transformation in South Asia. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-6179-5_2
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-6179-5_2
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore
Print ISBN: 978-981-99-6178-8
Online ISBN: 978-981-99-6179-5
eBook Packages: Social SciencesSocial Sciences (R0)