Cities in the Global South are undergoing rapid urbanization, where a high percentage of the urban poor live in informal settlements that lack basic services, are associated with unemployment, low-income levels, and insecurity. The impacts of climate change, intensive agricultural practices, and highly globalized food systems pose challenges to food security. Urban farming is one of the alternative practices to tackle food insecurity and urban poverty. In this study, urban farming was examined through grassroots innovation theory, which focuses on creating innovative sustainable development solutions from the bottom up. However, insufficient research has been done on urban farming initiatives in highly deprived areas. A qualitative approach was adopted, where semi-structured interviews were conducted, that were triangulated with observation and documentation data, providing multiple sources of support. The data was analysed through the Resources-Rationales-Relations Framework, which has been also used by other researchers to analyse grassroots initiatives. The results demonstrate that water is a crucial resource in urban farming grassroots initiatives, as water availability is limited due to droughts and climate change. Furthermore, resource-scarce environments experience limited access to water due to the unequal distribution of resources. Another identified resource that urban farming grassroots initiatives imply is climate-smart innovative technologies, such as the hydroponic system, that gives farmers good exposure. Sustainable livelihood creation was the main rationale to be involved in urban farming grassroots initiatives, by creating employment, giving back to the community, and influencing youth’s food and lifestyle choices. Relations were found to be crucial between farmers and organizational intermediaries, as they have increased their visibility and enabled them to engage with a wider context. The study concludes that the urban sustainability transition in Global South’s informal settlements is achieved when it cuts through all three levels of knowledge production, which was done by the climate-smart innovative farming technologies that raise attention and interest beyond the local context up to the political arena.

Previous studies of post-genocide Rwanda illutrates how nation-building and the government’s urgency to break with the past results in aims to rearrange society in order to prevent further violence and hostility. Developmental aims are also embedded in the broader project of post-genocide nation-building, adapted to promote a new and improved way of life after the genocide. This thesis examines the local experiences of parents in post-genocide Rwanda, with the specific geographical focus on the capital city of Kigali. Based on an ethnographic data collection from spring 2022, this thesis deals with the local experience of top-down rearrangements among parents in “informal” settlements in Kigali. Governmental perceptions of informality highlight the issue of risk in the urban context of post-genocide Kigali. Characterized by lack of order and formality the neighborhoods are deemed as excluded from the new societal modes and norms in the post-genocide aims of social engineering. This thesis uses the theory social engineering by James Scott (1998) to highlight the top-down measures intended to rearrange the lives of parents in “informal” settlements in Kigali. Additionally, the theoretical perspective of parenting culture is applied in order to explore the targeted regulations of parenting, as a result of government’s special interest in children as “future members of the nation” in a post-genocide context. This thesis shows that parenting culture is especially targeted by top-down regulations as a risk preventing strategy to shape the future of the nation. Working with a bottom-up perspective on top- down measures of social engineering the thesis includes the theoretical perspective of governmentality described by Mitchell Dean (2010) and Tania Murray Li (2007). Through mechanisms of self-regulation and accountability the thesis shows how regulations of parents in “informal” settlements are contested by their lack of ability and willingness to integrate top-down social engineering as meaningful rearrangements in everyday life.

Föreliggande studie omfattar en jämförelse mellan sättningsberäkningar med datorprogrammen FEM Design 11 (senast kommersiella versionen) och FEM Design 12 (betaversion under utveckling). I FEM Design 11 modelleras jorden med fjädrar som ges egenskaper motsvarande bäddmoduler, vilka inte på ett helt rättvisande sätt kan spegla jordens komplexa respons vid belastning. Fjädrar kan t.ex. inte överföra skjuvkrafter mellan varandra, vilket får till följd att de enskilda fjädrarnas respons vid belastning är oberoende av varandra. Vid analys av en byggnads sättningar, med ett datorprogram där endast fjädrar (bäddmoduler) används för att beskriva jordens deformationsegenskaper, kan således en helt korrekt bild över jordens verkliga beteende inte återspeglas.I FEM Design 12 kan jorden även modelleras med volymelement, vars egenskaper modelleras enligt kontinuumsmekanik. Härvid kan hänsyn tas till jord utanför konstruktionen. Detta beror på att volymelement för jorden inte är beroende av att kopplas mot ett konstruktionselement, t.ex. en bottenplatta.Syftet med föreliggande examensarbete är att jämföra resultatet från sättningsberäkningar med datorprogrammen FEM Design 11 och FEM Design 12. Detta för att kunna påvisa fördelarna med att modellera jord med volymelement jämfört med att modellera jordens deformationsegenskaper med fjädrar (bäddmoduler). Vidare analyseras vilka fördelar som kan uppnås med ett beräkningsverktyg där såväl byggnads- som geokonstruktioner kan modelleras tillsammans jämfört med nuvarande förhärskande metodik, att modellera geokonstruktioner för sig i ett datorprogram och byggnadskonstruktioner för sig i ett annat datorprogram med nödvändigheten att manuellt flytta information däremellan. Slutligen ämnar författarna söka svar på i vilken utsträckning detta kan gynna framtida projekt.Modellen kommer att byggas upp i FEM Design 11 där jorden modelleras med fjädrar, vars egenskaper beskrivs med bäddmoduler, i diskreta punkter. Vidare kommer modellen att öppnas upp i FEM Design 12 där bäddmodulerna raderas och ersättas med en jordvolym. Resultaten av dessa bägge sättningsberäkningar, kommer sedan att jämföras. Resultaten kommer även att jämföras med motsvarande beräkningar med PLAXIS för att verifiera att beteendet hos jorden har kunnat beskrivas på ett rättvisande sätt. Resultat erhållen ur Projekt X visar att sättningarna är större, både till storlek och fördelning, vid modellering med volymelement. Med denna studie har det även påvisats att en kontinuerlig spänningsfördelning tillåts vid modellering med volymelement, vilket inte är möjligt vid modellering med bäddmoduler. / This study is meant to make a comparison between settling calculations in FEM Design 11 (latest commercial version) and FEM Design 12 (beta version in development). In FEM Design 11, the soil can only be modeled with springs, which does not reflect the real behavior of the soil. Another drawback of modeling with springs is that they cannot transfer shear forces between each other, that is to say that the responsiveness of the springs is independent of each other.In FEM Design 12, soil can also be modeled with volume elements based on continuum mechanics. In this regard, the soil around the plate it taken into account when it is modeled as a construction material (volume element).This paper is to provide answers about if the benefit of modeling the soil with volume element is large enough compared to models with springs. It also analyzes which benefits that can be achieved by this. Finally, the authors intend to seek answers as to whether this can benefit future projects in whole.The model will be built in FEM Design 11 where the soil is modeled with springs, whose properties are described with bedding modules, in discreet points. Furthermore, the model will be opened up in FEM Design 12 where the springs are replaced with volume elements. Results of the settling calculations will then be compared. The results will also be compared with the PLAXIS model to get a confirmation that the soil behaves fairly. Result obtained from Project X shows that the settlements are bigger, both in size and distribution, when modeling with volume elements. With this study, it has also been demonstrated that a continuous voltage distribution allows the modeling of volume elements, which is not possible when modeling with bed modules.

For piling works in sensitive soil, especially in inner city projects, it is essential to be aware of the available methods and to choose the most suitable method to minimize the risk of damaging existing buildings or endanger the workers at the construction site. Down-the-hole drilling of piles is a relatively safe method and can be separated into drilling with air powered hammers and water powered hammers. This study compares water powered drilling with air powered drilling and shows that the impact on the soil generated by air powered drilling is larger than that from water powered drilling. A field study was carried out where 4 piles were drilled, two with air powered DTH drilling and two with water powered DTH drilling. The drilling was carried out in clay resting on an approximately 4 m layer of silt and friction soil. The total soil depth was about 12- 15 m. To analyze the soil influence, settlements were measured at ground level and in depth and pore pressure was measured in the middle of the clay layer. This study distinguished two major problems when drilling through this type of soil. The first is the risk of over-drilling in the friction layer. The second problem is the risk of increasing the pore pressure in the clay. Both these problems were experienced when using air powered drilling but for the water powered case only a small pore pressure increase and no over-drilling was observed. In conclusion, drilling with water has less influence on the soil in the sense that it gives a smaller effect on the pore water pressure and causes smaller settlements. / För pålningsarbeten i känsliga jordar och speciellt i innerstadsprojekt är det viktigt att vara medveten om befintliga metoder och välja den mest gynnsamma av dessa för att på så sätt minimera de risker som är sammankopplade med arbetet. Sänkhammarborrning är en relativt säker påldrivningsmetod och kan delas upp i luftdriven borrning och vattendriven borrning. Det här arbetet jämför dessa två metoder och visar att formationspåverkan vid luftdriven borrning är större än den vid vattendriven borrning. Arbetet baseras på en fältstudie där totalt 4 pålar borrades, två med luftdriven borrning och två med vattendriven borrning. Borrningen genomfördes i en formation med lera ovanpå silt och ren friktionsjord och jorddjupet på platsen varierade mellan 12-15 meter. För att undersöka formationspåverkan mättes sättningar på djupet och på markytan och portryck mättes mitt i lerlagret. Arbetet kunde urskilja två huvudsakliga problem vid borrning i den här typen av formation. Det första är risken för överborrning i friktionslager och det andra är risken för portrycksökning i tätare lerlager. Båda dessa fenomen observerades när luftborrning utfördes men inget av dem kunde urskiljas då vattenborrning utfördes. Sammanfattningsvis kan sägas att vattendriven borrning påverkar jorden mindre i den mening att den ger upphov till mindre portrycksökning och orsakar mindre korttidssättningar.

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No / The soils surrounding three Iron Age settlements on South Mainland, Shetland, were sampled and compared for indicators of soil amendment. Two of the sites (Old Scatness and Jarlshof) were on lower-lying, better-drained, sheltered land; the third (Clevigarth) was in an acid, exposed environment at a higher elevation. The hypothesis, based on previous regional assessments, soil thicknesses, and excavations at Old Scatness, was that the lowland sites would have heavily fertilized soils and that the thin upland soil would show little if any amendment. Our findings indicate that the Middle Iron Age soils at Old Scatness had extremely high phosphorus levels, while the soil at Jarlshof had lower levels of enhancement. At Clevigarth, where charcoal from the buried soil was 14C dated to the Neolithic and Bronze Age, there was no evidence of arable activity or soil amendment associated with the Iron Age phases of settlement. These observations indicate that not all sites put the same amount of effort into creating rich arable soils. The three sites had very different agricultural capacities, which suggests the emergence of local trade in agricultural commodities in Iron Age Shetland.

Mathare as an informal settlement of the Global South which suffers from an inconsistent water supply and periods of scarcity, relies for its provision on water vendors. This dissertation strives to advance scholarly debates on understanding the production and governance of the ‘actual water supply’ beyond and in relation to the centralised piped water network, and to thinking the conditions for possible change to modes of water supply. An empirical investigation was conducted on certain temporalities of change and continuity in the relational practices of governance actors of the water provision, the water vendors, situated in the informal settlement of Mathare in Nairobi, Kenya. As such, experiences of water scarcity among the water vendors are suggested to contribute to shape Mathare’s water provision by motivating practices circulation, especially regarding water storage. The water vendors might also crucially sustain and re-configure rules, interact with, and be affected by artefacts involved in the water infrastructure through practices of maintenance, repair, but also decay through temporary events of water infrastructure disruption. In turn, looking at relations shaping the water governance, stable relations are suggested to be re-produced through ‘twilight’ actors and temporal modalities in the water infrastructure.

This work is dealing with specific issue of work with gypsy clients of social settlements. The teoretic part is bordered on one side by characteristic of gypsy ethnic in Czech republic and its contemporary situation, and on the other side by general characteristic of social servicies and settlements and by activity of social settlements for children and youth. The end of theoretic part of this work is focused on example of good practice in the Center-Bohemian region, concretely in social settlements for children and youth {--} called {\clq},Domek``. The practic part contains results gained from semi-structured interviews with Center-Bohemian social settlements' workers, who are dealing directly with gypsy users. The results show that the majority of inquiered workers reflect the difference in servicies-provision of social settlemets for children and youth for gypsy and not-gypsy users. They consider as a specific attitude mainly understanding in communication and the respect of different emotional displays during communication. The majority of inquired workers confirmed the use of mentioned specific methods of work towards gypsy users. The next finding was that the work with gypsy users estimates a certain knowledge and skills of worker in social settlements for children and youth.

South Africa has a social housing delivery problem, where, despite all mechanisms, efforts and resources (including policies, enabling legislation and social housing production inputs such as planning regimes, guidelines and strategies, funding, land, buildings and human resources put in place by the government), the pace of social housing delivery is not at a point where it is measurably satisfactory across all spheres of government. There exists between the three spheres of government an intergovernmental relations framework for implementing social housing policy. The performance of government shows a lack of institutionalized arrangements, coordination, and alignment in the day to-day operations of the three spheres of government in implementing social housing policy. It is for this reason that this study assessed the current intergovernmental relations operational system in the delivery of social housing units in Gauteng Province. A mixed-methods research approach was implemented for this study based in methodological pragmatism, phenomenology, and positivism. The researcher conducted interviews with senior managers and administered research questionnaires with operational staff within the National, Provincial and Local spheres of government which included City of Tshwane, City of Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni Metropolitan municipalities in Human Settlements Departments, state agencies involved in the delivery of social housing units such as the Social Housing Regulatory Authority and municipal entities such as the Housing Company Tshwane, the Johannesburg Social Housing Company and the Ekurhuleni Social Housing Company. Private and non-governmental social housing institutions, such as the Yeast City Housing and Mannapendlo Social Housing Organisation were also included. The data were complemented by documentary content analysis, including review of annual reports, strategic human settlements plans, policies and legislation pertaining to the provision of housing, human settlements, and social housing. This study assessed the functioning of the three spheres of government in relation to the implementation of social housing policy in Gauteng Province. The three spheres of government are regarded as equally important institutions for the development of sustainable human settlements, and a sound relation between the three spheres of government must be maintained in order to achieve successful development and management of social housing. The research found evidence of poor coordination and alignment, and no integration of social housing related activities and functions between the three spheres of government. There are major risks, such as financial risk, financial planning, and project implementation risks experienced at local government level. The study identified challenges faced by the three spheres of government and state agencies in the implementation of social housing policy in Gauteng Province. The challenges included slow release of land for social housing development, uncoordinated and unplanned social housing delivery in the province. In addition, the study identified other input factors that impact negatively on the supply of social housing units which cut across all spheres of government such as political mandates, legislation, policies, strategies, plans, targets, priorities, information technology and administrative and financial constraints. The study presented and recommended social housing delivery model for Gauteng Province. The proposed model has the probability of providing an understanding of the relations between government departments, state agencies, social housing institutions, intergovernmental relations structures at national, provincial and local government level, non-governmental organizations, and community based organizations, so as to ensure there is vertical and horizontal alignment to improve and fast track the delivery of social housing in Gauteng Province. / Public Administration and Management / D. Phil (Public Administration)

The central hypothesis of this thesis is that the universal fundamental right to adequate housing must be equally enforced by all states irrespective of its non-entrenchment as a constitutional, legislative and/or policy entitlement. Despite being a minority, poor Canadians still face the same sordid living conditions that the majority are experiencing in South Africa and India. If a developed country such as Canada, despite its available resources and housing policies, and, similar to South Africa and India as third world countries, fails to improve the poor’s standard of living, the right to adequate housing will remain a distant dream for many. Any housing implementation strategy must be able to reduce housing backlogs, eradicate homelessness and slums and in general improve the poor’s standard of living. The thesis considers the diverse implementation strategies of the right to adequate housing as adopted by South Africa, Canada and India and reveals how each country has experienced systemic challenges. Against the background of international and regional human rights obligations, key issues are investigated to determine how to properly implement, enforce and monitor the right, include the role of a constitutionally entrenched right, the adoption of a housing legislative and/or policy measures, the role of the judiciary, (in)action on the part of government and the part played by national human rights commissions. While each of these three countries approaches the issue in their own unique way, and each country makes its own contribution, what is required is a coordinated and multi-faceted housing implementation system. Although the point of departure was to determine what South Africa could learn from Canada and India, the conclusion is that both Canada and India can draw inspiration from South Africa. Nevertheless, the main conclusions are that South Africa must urgently conduct a comprehensive review of its regressive 20 year housing implementation strategy and India’s 61 years five year plans. The Canadian judiciary should be looking at ways to enforce the right within the Canadian Charter as well as its domestic legislation to include ‘social condition’ as a discrimination ground. While both Canada and India must review their housing policies their judiciaries should be evaluating the history of homelessness and the reasonableness of their adopted housing policies. / Private Law / LLD