Studentification in Bloemfontein, South Africa

• Authors: Anton Ackermann , Gustav Visser
• Languages of publication: EN

Abstracts

EN

Studentification is a global phenomenon that has been prominent in urban geographical discourse since the large-scale expansion of higher education in the early 1990s. In many developed and developing world countries, expansion in student enrolment has outstripped the ability of institutions of higher learning to provide adequate accommodation. Similar trends have been recorded in South Africa. The task of this paper is to investigate studentification as experienced in one of South Africa’s secondary cities. The paper draws attention to the economic, socio-cultural, and physical characteristics of this form of student housing on host locations. It is argued that studentification holds both positive and negative impacts for the host communities of Bloemfontein. Finally, it is suggested that studentification in South Africa requires greater research attention.

Keywords

EN

studentification; Bloemfontein; South Africa; higher education; student accommodation

• Publisher: Sciendo
• Journal: Bulletin of Geography. Socio-economic Series
• Year: 2016
• Volume: 31
• Issue: 31
• Pages: 7-17

Dates

published

2016-03-01

received

2015-02-05

revised

2015-07-10

accepted

2015-12-13

online

2016-03-10

Contributors

author

Anton Ackermann

• University of the Free State, Department of Geography, P.O. Box 339, Bloemfontein, Republic of South Africa; phone: [phone]

author

Gustav Visser

• University of Stellenbosch, Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, Private Bag X1, Matieland, South Africa; phone: [phone]

References

• Allinson, J., 2006: Over-educated, over-exuberant and over here? The impact of students on cities. In: Planning Practice and Research, Vol. 21(1), pp. 79-94. DOI: 10.1068/a41133[Crossref]
• Benn, J. D., 2010: Studentifikasie in Stellenbosch (Studentification in Stellenbosch - in English), (unpublished MA thesis), Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University.
• CampusKey, 2014: Campuskey. http://www.campuskey.co.za/about, DoA: 23.05.2014
• Chrisafis, A., 2000, October 24: Two square miles of housing hell. In: The Guardian. http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2000/oct/24/angeliquechrisafis, DoA: 23.05.2014
• City of Johannesburg Municipality, 2009: Commune Policy. Johannesburg: Developmental Planning and Urban Management. http://www.joburgarchive.co.za-/2009/pdfs/commune_policy09.pdf, DoA: 23.05.2014
• Curtis, P., 2005: November 16: End ‘social divide’ in HE, says Rammell. In: The Guardian. http://www.theguardian.com/education/2005/nov/16/higher-education, DoA: 23.05.2014
• Donaldson, R., Benn, J., Campbell, M. and de Jager, A., 2014: Reshaping urban space through studentification in two South African urban centres. In: Urbani izziv, Vol. 25, pp. 133-144. DOI: 10.5379/urbani-izziv-en-2014-25-supplement-013[Crossref]
• Garmendia, M., Coronado, J.M. and Urena, J.M., 2011: University Students Sharing Flats: When Studentification Becomes Vertical. In: Urban Studies, Vol. 49(12), pp. 2651-2668. DOI: 10.1177/0042098011428176[WoS][Crossref]
• Harris, P. and McVaigh, T., 2002, July 21: Student take-over alarms cities. In: The Guardian. http:// www.thegu-ardian.com/society/2002/jul/21/urbandesign.highereducation, DoA: 23.05.2014
• Holdsworth, C., 2009: Going away to uni? Mobility, modernity and independence of English higher education students. In: Environment and Planning A, Vol 41, pp. 1849-1864. DOI: 10.1068/a41177 DOI: 10.1068/a41177[Crossref]
• Hubbard, P., 2008: Regulating the social impacts of studentification: A Loughborough case study. In: Environment and Planning A, Vol. 40, pp. 323-341. DOI: 10.1068/a396[Crossref][WoS]
• Hubbard, P., 2009: Geographies of studentification and purpose-built student accommodation: leading separate lives? In: Environment and Planning A, Vol. 41, pp. 1903-1923. DOI: 10.1068/a4149[Crossref][WoS]
• Kenna, T., 2011: Studentification in Ireland? Analyzing the impacts of students and student accommodation on Cork City. In: Irish Geography, Vol. 44(2-3), pp. 191-213.
• Kenyon, E., 1997: Seasonal sub-communities: The impact of student households on residential communities. In: The British Journal of Sociology, Vol 48(2), pp. 286-301. DOI: 10.1177/0961463X00009001002[Crossref]
• Midgley, C., 2002: Hell of residence. Times Online. www.timesonline.co.uk, DoA: 23.05.2014
• Moore, B., Boyn, N., Bothan, R. and Donohue, A., 2004: Economic and social impact of the University of Hertfordshire on Welwyn Hatfield. Welwyn, Hatfield: Cooperate and Corporate Economic Consultants (PACEC).
• Pickren, G., 2012: ‘Where Can I Build My Student Housing?’ The Politics of Studentification in Athens- Clarke County, Georgia. In: Southeastern Geographer, Vol. 52(2), pp. 113-130.
• Russo, A., Van den Berg, L. and Lavanga, M., 2007: Toward a sustainable relationship between city and university. In: Journal of Planning Education and Research, Vol. 27(2), pp. 199-216, DOI: 10.1177/0739456X07307208[Crossref]
• Sage, J., Smith, D. and Hubbard, P., 2012: The Rapidity of studentification and Population Change: There Goes the (Student) hood. In: Population, Space and Place, Vol. 18, pp. 597-613, DOI: 10.1002/psp.690[WoS][Crossref]
• Sage, J., Smith, D. and Hubbard, P., 2013: New-build Studentification: A Panacea for Balanced Communities? In: Urban Studies, Vol. 50(15), pp. 2623-2641, DOI: 10.1177/0042098013477694.[Crossref][WoS]
• Selwyn, N., 2008: ‘High jinks’ and ‘minor mischief’: a study of undergraduate students as perpetrators of crime. In: Studies in Higher Education, Vol. 33(1), pp. 1-16, DOI: 10.1080/03075070701794759[WoS][Crossref]
• Smith, D., 2005: ‘Studentification’: the gentrification factory? In: Atkinson, R. and Bridge, G. editors, Gentrification in a Global Context: The New Urban Colonialism. London: Routledge, pp. 72-89.
• Smith, D., 2007: The politics of studentification and ‘(un)balanced’ urban populations in the United Kingdom: an update. (Working Paper). Brighton: University of Brighton.
• Smith, D., 2008: The politics of studentification and ‘(un)balanced’ urban populations: Lessons for gentrification and sustainable communities? In: Urban Studies, Vol. 45(12), pp. 2541-2564. DOI: 10.1177/0042098008097108[WoS][Crossref]
• Smith, D., 2009: [Guest editorial]. Student geographies, urban restructuring, and the expansion of higher education. In: Environment and Planning A, Vol. 41(8), pp. 179-184.
• Smith, D. and Holt, L., 2007: Studentification and ‘apprentice’ gentrifiers within Britain’s provincial towns and cities: Extending the meaning of gentrification. In: Environment and Planning A, Vol 39, pp. 142-161. DOI: 10.1068/a38476[Crossref]
• Smith, D. and Hubbard, P., 2013: The segregation of educated youth and dynamic geographies of studentification. In: Area, Vol. 46(1), pp. 92-100 DOI: 10.1111/area.12054[WoS][Crossref]
• Statistics South Africa, 2011: http://beta2.statssa.gov.za/?-page_id=1021andid=mangaung-municipality, DoA: 23.05.2014
• The University of the Free State, 2014: http://www.ufs.ac.za/-about-the-ufs/ufs-in-focus/brief-history, DoA: 23.05.2014
• Unilofts, 2014: Unilofts, http://www.unilofts.co.za, DoA: 23.05.2014

Identifiers

DOI

10.1515/bog-2016-0001