Urbanization in Jamaica

I. Introduction

Often misconstrued as an idealistic destination, Jamaica is a very stratified entity when it comes to the have and have not’s. The institution of slavery has shaped the physical landform of the country and inadvertently created fragmented and informal communities. This is further reiterated by the continuous division of garrisons “shantytowns” and gated communities prevalent within the urban fabric. The structural readjustment of the government in efforts to alleviate debt has reinforced the ideology of privatization and splintered urbanism. Jamaica is one of the most indebted 3rd world countries contributing 45 cents from each dollar to pay for debt financing. This case study will examine Kingston, Jamaica’s unique history, economy, social, political, and physical context to further understand the realm of planning and effects of urbanization. Exploring the context of Kingston exhibits how these dimensions have created and influenced the urban formation, morphology and fabric of the variegated capital city.

b. Context & Jamaica’s Parishes Map

Kingston is located in the Parish of St. Andrew in the south- eastern section of the island

II. Jamaica’s History and Composition

a. 1692-1962 Colonial Jamaica: The Two Cities

Jamaica was colonized in 1692 by Britain inevitably creating two cities within the island of one people, the indigenous and the “traditional oriented settlement,” which were both quintessentially colonial 6. In the early 16th century, Jamaica served as the main seaport in the slave trade and the exportation of natural goods; most predominately sugar cane, bananas and later on bauxite. The Caribbean seaway provided a secure link between Brit...

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...parishes of the 13 have what we call garrisons or ghettos. This is especially found in Urban Kingston where ghetto are spreading however it isn’t pervasive.

Works Cited

Boxhill, W. O. (1978). Urbanization and Urban Growth and Their Implications for National Development in Jamaica and Trinidad.

Clarke, C. (2006). Decolonizing the Colonial City: Urbanization and Stratification in Kingston, Jamaica. New York City: Oxford University Press.

Hart, T. B. (2012). Kingston, Jamaica and Charleston, South Carolina: A New Look at Comparative Urbanization in Plantation Colonial British America. Journal of Urban History, 39(2).

Knight, G. (1992). Urban Planning and Management in Jamaica. Habitat Intl, 16(2), 37-52.

Subramaniam, E. J. (n.d.). Jamaica embracing privitization and seeking integration. International Review of Administrative Sciences, 651-661.