Latest News + Insights

What role can researchers play in driving urban reform?
ACRC hosted a webinar in September 2023 to discuss the role that academics, action researchers and professionals can play in fostering the formation and functioning of urban reform coalitions. In doing so, we wanted to give special focus to how knowledge and evidence can catalyse urban reform coalitions.

Lagos gated communities: Shelter from crime or social segregation?
Gated communities (GCs) are increasingly fashionable in Lagos and have become pervasive in many areas of the city. These restricted access housing areas are planned to privatise usually public spaces.

Webinar: How can knowledge and evidence catalyse urban reform coalitions?
This ACRC webinar will explore the role of researchers in facilitating urban reform, through co-producing knowledge with disadvantaged groups and nurturing dialogue with influential urban actors.

Unlocking better housing for Lagos: A conversation with Basirat Oyalowo
ACRC’s Lagos housing domain lead Basirat Oyalowo discusses her research into the Lagos housing value chain and what can be done to boost provision and upgrade existing housing in the city.

How is climate change impacting Harare’s informal settlements?
A new video produced by the Know Your City TV team in Zimbabwe reflects on the research conducted by ACRC’s informal settlements research team in Harare.

Nurturing community resilience amid multiple crises: The story of informal settlements in Lilongwe
Informal settlements in the city of Lilongwe are adopting various coping strategies as they deal with the multiple crises affecting their communities. This blog post discusses some of these strategies.

Empowering young people in Lilongwe to be a voice for their communities
Recognising the critical role that media plays in promoting social and economic progress in low-income settlements, Lilongwe-based NGO, CCODE, has taken the initiative to train young people in media production.

Key principles for urban reform coalitions that work
The three-day conference featured notable academics and practitioners from the Global South and Global North with common interests in reform coalitions and urban development, who gave over 20 presentations, spread across six panels.

Strengthening service delivery processes in Kampala
Badru Bukenya and Buyana Kareem join Junior Alves Sebbanja for a conversation about service provision in Kampala, discussing the systemic and governance challenges underpinning it.

The value and worth of urban life: Reflections on liveability, normativity and exclusion
What makes urban life worth living? This blog post ponders this question in relation to the “What makes urban life worth living? (Re)evaluating the value of urban life” workshop held in Lisbon, Portugal in May 2023.
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