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Changing Urbanization Trends and Human Needs in Developing African Nations.

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Bibliographic Details
Title:	Changing Urbanization Trends and Human Needs in Developing African Nations.
Authors:	Underwood, Willard A., Ferguson, Ralph E.
Peer Reviewed:	N
Page Count:	19
Publication Date:	1976
Document Type:	Speeches/Meeting Papers
Descriptors:	African Culture, African History, Area Studies, Developing Nations, Needs, Population Trends, Rural to Urban Migration, Rural Urban Differences, Social Problems, Tribes, Urban Culture, Urbanization
Geographic Terms:	Africa
Abstract:	The purpose of this paper is to analyze the increasing migration of African tribal members to urban centers and the resulting redefinition of cultural norms, social pressures, and human needs. First, several misconceptions about African societies are examined by briefly reviewing Africa's tribal history. Next, the phenomenon of tribalism is discussed so as to better understand African urban development. The tribe served as the social and cultrual center for earlier African societies, but cities recently are serving this function due to people moving into cities and leaving traditional tribal societies. The advent of science and technology is greatly affecting this change. Rural youth and women are especially attracted by urban life-styles and the corresponding "better" life. The numbers of people making the transition from rural to urban life-styles has surpassed many governments' abilities to regulate and serve the flow of people. Because of this inability to keep manpower in balance, urban social problems are aggravated. While village life is more relaxed and more dependent on kinship, urbanized villagers are gradually detribalized and respond more to national needs rather than tribal concerns. (Author/ND)
Entry Date:	1976
Accession Number:	ED121694
Database:	ERIC

Description
Abstract:	The purpose of this paper is to analyze the increasing migration of African tribal members to urban centers and the resulting redefinition of cultural norms, social pressures, and human needs. First, several misconceptions about African societies are examined by briefly reviewing Africa's tribal history. Next, the phenomenon of tribalism is discussed so as to better understand African urban development. The tribe served as the social and cultrual center for earlier African societies, but cities recently are serving this function due to people moving into cities and leaving traditional tribal societies. The advent of science and technology is greatly affecting this change. Rural youth and women are especially attracted by urban life-styles and the corresponding "better" life. The numbers of people making the transition from rural to urban life-styles has surpassed many governments' abilities to regulate and serve the flow of people. Because of this inability to keep manpower in balance, urban social problems are aggravated. While village life is more relaxed and more dependent on kinship, urbanized villagers are gradually detribalized and respond more to national needs rather than tribal concerns. (Author/ND)