Dispossessed: Life in Our World's Urban Slums

by Mark Kramer

Genres: Nonfiction, Urbanism, Social Justice

219 pages, Paperback

First published January 31, 2006

Reviews

[Adriane Devries · Rating 3 out of 5]

Social justice: a better hobby than golf? Journalist Mark Kramer gave up months of his privileged, Western culture to live amongst the world’s urban slum communities, with the intent of personalizing and sharing their plight with those who have the means with which to fight social injustice. Through his interviews with families in these communities, we get to know the faces of the poor: rather than nameless millions across the seas, we see that they are our dear friends, neighbors, sisters, brothers, aunties, and children. Of course, as rich Westerners, we already know that we enjoy a high percentage of the world’s wealth in a relatively small populace, but Kramer challenges what it will take to move this knowledge from our minds to our hearts, and more importantly, on to our hands and feet in the form of action that produces lasting change. Though the issues leading to urban poverty are huge, from governmental bureaucracy that can’t compete with the infrastructure needs of growing cities, to global economics driving land prices beyond the reach of locals, resulting in seemingly insurmountable marginalization of the poor, especially the young, old, and women; Kramer gives us concrete steps that, if done en masse, could alleviate, even eradicate this scourge.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's something so amazing about reading real stories about people you know in a book about global poverty. Kramer does a great job mixing hard data (UN documents, statistics) in with personal stories of people in Cairo, Bangkok, Mexico City, Nairobi, and, of course, Manila. However, it took a while to get through the book due the sheer information. Nevertheless, it's well worth it, if for nothing but Chapter 7, in which Kramer gives some solid practicals for identifying with the urban poor. You really get the sense from his stories that he wrestles with his identity as a Westerner and that he is a really humble writer and researcher--truly building relationships with the poor.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dispossessedsynthesizes statistics and first-hand experience of slum communities in the global South. With each community, he discusses a hallmark issue of poverty -

Manila - urbanization
Nairobi - colonialism
Mexico City - land rights
Bangkok - informal economy
Cairo - slum living conditions

Each chapter is ~30 pages. I appreciate that he writes about his interactions with host families in the slum communities with dignity and respect.

[Jonathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

What is a slum? What is life like there? And what can happen to change it? This book really gets in to all of those questions. Plus some of my friends are in it!

[Justine Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read in preparation for my trip to Kenya.