PhD Oral Exam - Gideon Azunre, Geography, Urban and Environmental Studies

When studying for a doctoral degree (PhD), candidates submit a thesis that provides a critical review of the current state of knowledge of the thesis subject as well as the student’s own contributions to the subject. The distinguishing criterion of doctoral graduate research is a significant and original contribution to knowledge.

Once accepted, the candidate presents the thesis orally. This oral exam is open to the public.

Abstract

African cities are witnessing an alarming surge in informal settlements and slums (used interchangeably in this dissertation). For instance, as of 2025, informal settlements housed over 50% of the region’s urban population (the highest globally), occupying more than a third of the urban landscape. Despite some city authorities still employing violent and militarized governance approaches, such as evictions and demolitions, the current trajectory of informal settlements has led to global and transnational solidarity movements calling for equitable and inclusive policy solutions. Consequently, municipal and state governments are steadily integrating informal settlements into their development plans. However, many of these local plans and policies face significant financial constraints, as municipal and state budgets have dwindled. Therefore, there has been a rise in redevelopment initiatives funded by development and multilateral organizations. These externally financed projects are often branded as ‘participatory’ slum upgrading. While such programs have gradually made a difference and provided much-needed infrastructure to millions of urbanites, they often struggle to engage fully or adequately with local political realities and socio-cultural contexts.

Against this background, this dissertation employed a qualitative research approach to examine two World Bank and UN-Habitat-funded initiatives in Accra, Ghana’s capital, a second-tier global city and the most politically and economically significant city in the country. Drawing on surveys, interviews, focus group discussions, and document analysis, the study develops three interconnected research manuscripts. The first examines how ideas of community participation and inclusion can be operationalized amidst the complex assemblage of local, municipal, national, and international actors. The second assesses the multi-scalar instances and episodes of everyday informal politics, as well as the inclusionary and exclusionary outcomes they engender. The third explores context-sensitive governance arrangements and the agency of community development committees in advancing co-production. Taken together, this dissertation offers lessons for more nuanced conceptualizations of the roles of power and methods in participatory planning, as well as for advancing more inclusive slum upgrading initiatives.