Working together for urban progress
The African Cities Research Consortium is a collaborative approach to tackling complex problems in the continent’s rapidly changing cities.
About the AFRICAN CITIES RESEARCH CONSORTIUM
Cities are complex, dynamic, political systems. We bring together the right people and an understanding of the political economy of individual cities to identify and address the critical challenges they are facing.
Our aim is to generate insights and evidence that will help improve the living conditions, services and life chances of all city residents, particularly for disadvantaged communities.
LATEST NEWS from ACRC
Reflections from the ACRC Kampala cross-project learning workshop
ACRC held a cross-project learning workshop in Kampala during the last week of April 2026., bringing together the Kampala city team, representatives from the action research projects, and members of the senior management and central uptake teams.
Navigating different approaches to urban reform in Harare
Urban reform in Harare is approached by the ACRC action research team from the recognition that the city is shaped less by formal plans and policies than by everyday practices of negotiation, self-provisioning and incremental adaptation across multiple systems.
What is urban development? Reflections from Zimbabwe and Harare
“Urban development” is a term that is widely used but rarely unpacked. It often evokes images of new roads, housing estates and expanding city skylines. Yet, when viewed from the perspective of cities like Harare, urban development is far more complex, contested and dynamic than conventional definitions suggest.
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