Urban studies and planning research projects

Our research has been classed as 'world leading' and 'internationally excellent' with 'outstanding impacts' by the most recent 91ÌÒÉ« Excellence Framework.

A mural depicting a colourful scene seen from a boat

Urban crisis in South African and Colombian cities: Understanding perspectives, improving responses

Cities across the world are increasingly affected by a range of financial, climate, health and political disruptions. We're exploring how local people in Colombia and South Africa experience and respond to different kinds of urban crisis.
Migration, Urbanisation and Conflict in Africa

Understanding migration in the world's most rapidly urbanising region

Generating a better understanding of conditions under which migration combines with other factors to worsen urban conflict, and examining the consequences of this for urban peace and sustainability.
A road junction with stop sign in Bronkhorstspruit, South Africa in poor condition
Downtown Bronkhorstspruit, South Africa (Credit: Mark Lewis)

Youth and the Work/Housing Nexus in Ethiopia and South Africa

A collaborative research project between the University of Sheffield (UK), The University of Witwatersrand (Johannesburg, South Africa) and The University of Hawassa (Hawassa, Ethiopia).
Rajaji Nagar View
Rajaji Nagar, Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala), a neighbourhood where many sanitation workers continued working throughout lockdown

Managing Covid-19 in India's Cities: Reshaping people's everyday lives in poorer urban neighbourhoods

Examining the impact the Covid-19 pandemic had on people living in low-income neighbourhoods in three Indian cities (Ahmedabad, Chennai and Thiruvananthapuram), tracing how disease control and welfare measures have reshaped livelihoods and state-society relationships.
Fargate Sheffield

Urban citizenship and informality: New dynamics in the context of global urbanisation

Based at the universities of Sheffield, York and Leeds, we're examining the relationship between informality and citizenship, supported by studentships exploring a truly global set of case studies.

91ÌÒÉ« themes

Our world-leading research activities, discussions and debates are organised into a number of research themes which connect with and shape key debates in their fields.

World-leading research activity

91ÌÒÉ« archive

Review previous research projects, outputs and publications.

Explore previous geography and urban studies and planning work