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About the Conference
African countries are urbanizing at faster rates than any other region in history. This creates an opportunity for growth, development, industrialization, innovation, and trade. In the face of the climate crisis, cities can also play an important role in adaptation and mitigation. However, if the downsides of density are not managed well, this can result in congestion, pollution, and the exacerbation of poverty.
Taking place in Cape Town, South Africa, the 9th Urbanization and Development Conference is the first iteration of the conference with a regional focus on Africa. It will bring together academics, development practitioners, and urban policymakers to present and discuss questions relating to how research in the growing field of urban economics can help inform difficult policy decisions and the allocation of scarce resources to build productive, livable, and sustainable cities in Africa.
The continent can learn from global experience, but effective solutions will also require exploring the unique and varied local realities. Themes will include measuring urban economies and their contributions to growth, as well as how to enhance the benefits of cities through effective land and housing markets, public transport provision, and local service delivery in African cities. The conference welcomes all stakeholders working on city issues to understand which new ideas, methods, and collaborations can bring about the necessary change for urbanization to lead to prosperity.
Call for Papers
For the second year we are issuing an international call for papers to promote engagement with a diverse range of economics scholars across the world. These papers will be presented in dedicated research sessions, showcasing cutting-edge findings that will contribute to policy- and thematic-focused sessions held throughout the conference.
We are interested in working papers that:
(1) Utilize economic methods,
(2) Are on or relevant for African cities, and
(3) Look at issues of agglomeration and urban labor markets, land use, housing, transport, water and sanitation, waste management, municipal finance, municipal governance, crime, sustainability, and climate adaptation
These papers should be at an advanced stage for presentation and questions. Although priority will be given to papers on African cities, the selection committee will also consider non-African papers if deemed of sufficient interest to the conference’s themes.
Select young scholars will be chosen to partake in the Young Urban Economist Workshop and will receive feedback on their papers from one of our academic keynotes—Professor Matt Turner, Associate Professor Kelsey Jack or Professor Ed Glaeser. These scholars will be eligible to receive funding for travel and accommodation. Application will happen automatically, so please submit as normal.
The deadline for the submission of papers is 8th November 2024, 23:59 GMT. No late submissions will be accepted.
The call for papers associated with this conference is being coordinated by IGC. Please visit their website for the latest updates on the paper selection process. For questions related to the call for papers, please contact citiesthatwork@theigc.org. Registration to attend the conference (separate from the call for papers) will open in early 2025.
The 9th annual Urbanization and Development Conference is being co-organized by the World Bank (Development Research Group and Urban, Resilience, and Land Global Department), the Institute for International Economic Policy, IGC, and the City of Cape Town.