The Land-Use Plan in Algeria. A Tool for Residents' Participation or a Mode of Social Domination? Two case studies in Oran
This article seeks to shed light on the extent of stakeholders' participation in the development of LUP (land-use plan) in Algeria on the progress of the participation of social actors (elected, resident citizens, administered) and the reasons for its misuse. In order to understand this matter, two LUP studies in two municipal agglomerations of the Wilaya (prefecture) of Oran, Oued Tlélat and Chehaïria, will address, upstream and throughout their development, the degree of commitment of the stakeholders in the participatory process. The adopted approach is based on action research. The survey takes shape around a participant and active observation, and interviews carried out with the relevant actors. This contribution was able to show the existence of a complex bundle of power relations between social actors, which is marked by the disparity of struggles and tensions due to inequalities in speaking up skills. Also, as the broad meaning of negotiation and consultation between the stakeholders, it is often a question, in order to assert opinions on the choices of urban development, and deal with the intransigence of common issues, to engage their divergent personal interests with multiple values. Finally, lines for potential adjustments to the participatory mechanism have been identified to stimulate and improve the development of LUPs in Algeria.