Assignment
For our essay this week we read George Packer's article on Lagos. Packer is a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist and, while his writing certainly doesn't fit into the category of "urban theory" per se, he offers a different way of writing about cities that I think is effective. This is based primarily on direct observation with elements of historical research included to provide context.
Packer's description of how Lagos is experienced by the vast majority of its 13 million citizens touches on homelessness, substandard housing, broken infrastructure, tainted water sources, and lack of sustainable employment. How did Lagos get to this place? And in case we think this is something that only happens in other parts of the world, don't forget, Los Angeles is one of the largest cities in the so-called "developed world" yet we have over of 50,000 homeless men, women and children in the city (not including the county, which raises numbers to about 80,000). New York's homeless population is even higher.
According to the article, what are some reasons for why Lagos has grown in population but declined in public resources, secure job growth, and basic infrastructure?
Packer states, "The absence of government services in most neighborhoods rarely leads to protest; instead, it forces slum dwellers to become self-sufficient through illegal activity." Why do you think this is the case? What is your opinion about people turning to casual labor as a way to take care of themselves? Give an example from the text of one person's struggle to survive.
Finally, is there anything that stood out to you in this article and why? Have you observed any parallels in your own travels, in your home city, or even in downtown Los Angeles? What of the many messages Packer conveys in his article resonated with you?
Attachment:- Packer-Decoding-The-Chaos-of-Lagos.rar