Moving urban political ecology beyond the ‘urbanization of nature’
Urban political ecology (UPE) focuses on unsettling traditional understandings of ‘cities’ as ontological entities separate from ‘nature’ and on how the production of settlements is metabolically linked with flows of … Continue reading
Comparative Approaches to Informal Housing Around the Globe
Comparative Approaches to Informal Housing Around the Globe brings together historians, anthropologists, political scientists, sociologists, urban planners and political activists to break new ground in the globalisation of knowledge about informal … Continue reading
Harnessing local innovation to address the global housing crisis
The focus of the report “Rethinking Housing Policies Harnessing local innovation to address the global housing crisis” is not so much on what local governments should do about housing, but … Continue reading
Street vending and its ability to produce space
Street vending is a widespread phenomenon in the cities of the so-called developing countries. However, city planning systems have responded to the situation in a limited way, among other factors, … Continue reading
Subversive formalization
[Article behind paywall] State entities in Brazil have rolled out numerous programs to “integrate” precarious settlements into the so-called formal city of Rio de Janeiro. Two of the most visceral … Continue reading
The role of small cities in shaping youth employment outcomes in India and Indonesia
Across the world, many emerging economies find themselves at a critical juncture known as the “demographic dividend”. This report presents evidence on the role of small cities in shaping the … Continue reading
Informal work in sub-Saharan Africa Dead end or steppingstone?
Despite rapid economic growth in recent decades, informality remains a persistent phenomenon in the labour markets of many low- and middle-income countries. A key issue in this regard concerns the … Continue reading
The Hidden Wealth of Cities : Creating, Financing, and Managing Public Spaces
In every city, the urban spaces that form the public realm—ranging from city streets, neighborhood squares, and parks to public facilities such as libraries and markets—account for about one-third of … Continue reading
Informal rental housing in the South: dynamic but neglected
Informal rental housing is growing rapidly in cities of the global South. Changing needs and circumstances of diverse urban populations produce new forms of rental accommodation and landlord–tenant relations. Focusing … Continue reading
Reading Development 