From the “neoliberal” to the human-centred city: examining the street tactics of Syrian refugees in repairing Cairo’s periphery

Abstract

Purpose This article examines how Syrian refugees in Cairo’s neoliberal periphery drive a transition towards a human-centred city through everyday street tactics. It explores the role of refugee agency as a restorative force, analysing how grassroots interventions function as a form of “repair” for the socio-spatial gaps left by market-driven urban development Design/methodology/approach The study utilises a comparative qualitative framework between two neoliberal modalities: the privately managed Al-Rehab City (gated community) and the state-led Al-Hosary Area (formally planned district with informal practices). The methodology integrates 39 semi-structured and intercept interviews with Syrian individuals, non-participant observations and detailed street mapping to document the physical and social reconfiguration of these peripheral spaces Findings The research identifies three core tactics of urban repair: “sidewalk drifting” (allowing sidewalks to be used interchangeably between all shops and pedestrians across different time and space), “(post-)neoliberal performativity” (attracting diverse socio-economic bases, not just the exclusive residents) and “socio-hygienic visibility” (transforming shop-windows into safe, hygienic social spaces, that are female and family-friendly). Despite the different governance structures of the two case studies, both reveal that refugee-led agency effectively repairs sterile neoliberal environments by creating vibrant, human-scale nodes of economic and social vitality Originality/value The article introduces the concept of “Urban Repair” to theorise how displaced populations act as urban practitioners who mend the exclusionary ruptures of the neoliberal fringe. It reframes refugee street tactics as a sophisticated form of human-centred urban transformation in interstitial spaces, providing a model for more equitable and resilient planning in host cities.