Coffee Hour with Francis Owusu

Enjoy a free catered lunch, a presentation by Francis Owusu with the Department of Community and Regional Planning at Iowa State University, and conversation with students, staff, and faculty from the GES Department. Lunch will be available starting at 12:30 p.m. and Dr. Owusu will present from 1-2 p.m. 

Talk Title

Dialectics of Planning the African City: Contradictions in Neoliberal Planning, Smart Cities, and their Generative Potential

Abstract

Urban planning in Africa has long faced legitimacy issues due to a disconnect between planners' visions and the needs of ordinary citizens. The rise of neoliberalism since the 1980s has worsened this, as it weakens planning's role in addressing market failures and promotes minimal spatial regulation for development. Yet, effective planning is vital for successful neoliberal urban development, requiring regulated land-use decisions. This presentation explores the "smart cities" concept, which, while currently popular in African urban planning, often overlooks the livelihood concerns of everyday residents. By leveraging smart city frameworks, we can better align planning with the needs of all citizens and unlock the transformative potential of African cities.

Dr. Francis Owus

Dr. Francis Owusu is a Professor at the Department of Community and Regional Planning, Iowa State University (ISU), USA. He is also an affiliated faculty of the African and African American Studies program and the Graduate Program in Sustainable Agriculture. He received a B.A. (Hons) in Geography and Archaeology and an MA in Population Studies from the University of Ghana, an M.A. in Geography from Carleton University in Canada, and a Ph.D. in Geography from the University of Minnesota, USA. Professor Owusu's research focuses on globalization and development policy, institutional capacity building, natural resources management, and urban and economic development issues. Originally from Ghana, he has researched these topics in several African countries and authored journal articles, book chapters, reviews, and reports. He co-edited Managing Africa's Natural Resources: Capacities for Development, published by Palgrave. His recent book is The Urban Question in Africa: Uneven Geographies of Transition, which he co-authored with Padraig Carmody, Jim Murphy, and Richard. Grant, and published by Wiley in 2023.