Urban Violence and Demographic Delimitations in Democratic Governance

Abstract

Urban violence has reached a global chaotic stage that requires urgent combat. Concise effort in recommending several way-out of this global menace had been made. Democratic delimitations have been identified in this work as a source of reoccurring urban violence in most polities. These include state creation, zoning formula, affirmative action and federal character principles. With regards to these efforts, the question this work asked is that what are the effects of demographic delimitations on democratic peace which may appear invisible but potent and volatile in the polity? Relative deprivation theory is used to validate the facts that urban violence is as a result of depriving group of people of their rights and benefits. The research methodology adopted is the analyses of the afrobarometer database on national and ethnic identity, security handling and general economic level perception. Two thousand four hundred respondents each in Nigeria, Ghana and South Africa respectively are focused in this study. The recommendations posited centres on ensuring adequate representation among the federating units in a country in terms of fiscal and critical geographical differences. The conclusion however centres on the facts that violence ensuing from geographical delimitations are easily escalating but when the geographical differences are streamlined peace will ensue. Keywords: Zoning formulas, Affirmative action, State Creation, Federal Character, Urban Violence and Relative Deprivation.