Socio-spatial analysis of regime shifts in Addis Ababa's urbanisation

• Published in: Applied geography (Sevenoaks) 2023-05, Vol.154, p.102918, Article 102918
• Main Authors: Weldegebriel, Amanuel Tadesse, Tekalign, Meron, Van Rompaey, Anton
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Addis Ababa; Regime shifts; Socio-spatial change; Urbanisation theory
• ISSN: 0143-6228; 1873-7730
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apgeog.2023.102918

The urbanisation of Addis Ababa is a product of multilayered socio-spatial processes in temporal dimensions. To understand urbanisation, we employed a theoretical framework relevant to the developing world. The theoretical aspects were also supplemented with empirical evidence obtained from satellite images from 1974, 1991, and 2020. These years mark the end of three recognised regime shifts (imperialist, socialist, and contemporary globalised). The urbanisation of Addis Ababa is explained by a combination of theories throughout the regime shifts, in which the role of elites, foreign bodies, and technology are emphasised. While the imperialist regime dispossessed the peasants of their land, the socialist regime allowed peasants access to the centre and contemporary globalised commodified land. During the brief annexation of the city by the Italian Empire, a segregated city (natives and European residential quarters) was documented. Similarly, the contemporary regime has favoured commercial and high-end residential buildups that have pushed the poor towards the periphery. Spatial analysis revealed that the city has expanded considerably, with a nearly 600% increase during the latest regime. The results provide a thorough examination of the factors that caused considerable urban changes in the latest regime. •Urbanisation process of Addis Ababa, a capital city of Ethiopia is complex.•It was characterized with a framework approaches, relevant to developing world urbanisation.•A combination of theories explains the urbanisation process of regime shifts.•Elite's role, foreign influence, and technology played a leading role.•A spatial analysis of the urban expansion has supplemented the description in theoretical framework of the latest regime.