Latest News + Insights
Community knowledge: Pushing the frontiers of research in Harare
Democratising research processes has long been a contested subject. While co-production of knowledge presents vast opportunities for positive development outcomes, urban research processes often continue to exclude and marginalise vulnerable groups.
Building cities for all (not the privileged few)
Economists have long claimed there is overwhelming evidence that urbanisation unlocks the potential for economic growth and, from this, development. They point to the fact that no country to date has reached middle-income status without undergoing an urban transition.
Urban politics and power in Mogadishu
ACRC researchers Surer Mohamed, Afyare Elmi, Abdirizak Muhumed and Abdifatah Tahir discuss urban politics and power dynamics, issues of security and citizenship, and the trends they are seeing that give them hope for urban reform in Mogadishu.
A necessary balancing act: Household microenterprises and mobile money taxation in Africa
The taxation of mobile money transactions has become a popular policy in many African countries in recent years. This drive is largely motivated by rising national debts and the growing popularity of mobile money transactions on the continent, especially amongst low-income earners, notably household microenterprises (HMEs).
Urban reform coalitions in Harare: A conversation with George Masimba
George Masimba talks to Ezana Haddis Weldeghebrael about Dialogue on Shelter Trust’s experiences of working within reform coalitions to improve access to urban services for marginalised communities in Harare.
Exploring practical pathways for urban reform in Nairobi
The ACRC Nairobi team convened a final research uptake workshop on 9-10 March 2023. The two-day event aimed to stimulate policymakers, community representatives, county government officials, urban practitioners and professionals, to actively champion reforms for positive urban transformation in the city.
Doing research with disadvantaged people: Navigating challenges and intricacies
This blog post draws on the authors’ experiences of researching disadvantaged people, the strategies devised to address challenges and questions raised through these encounters, and thoughts on how researchers can safeguard against generating and/or reinforcing vulnerabilities during fieldwork and moving forward.
Uptake workshop in Lilongwe brings together mayor and city stakeholders
ACRC’s Lilongwe research team and ICLEI Africa held the final uptake workshop for the foundation phase of the programme on Friday 10 March 2023.
Conducting research in fragile cities: Reflections on my experience in Maiduguri, Nigeria
Maiduguri, a city in north-eastern Nigeria, has been plagued by insurgency perpetrated by Boko Haram over the past 13 years. I am interested in what territorial and governance gaps may have emerged and the implications on everyday safety and security in the city.
How can cities create better jobs in sub-Saharan Africa?
Structural transformation involves the movement of workers from low-productivity sectors to high-productivity sectors. It has historically been associated with a shift from agrarian economies to more industrial economies based around urban areas.
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