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. Our research explores how local people in Colombia and South Africa experience and respond to different kinds of urban crisis.

Stories of Urban Crisis in South Africa and Colombia

Short film

Watch a short film including some of the incredible stories created by participants in Cape Town, Johannesburg, Cali, and Buenaventura.

A mural depicting a colourful scene seen from a boat

About the project

We want to understand how local communities experience different kinds of crises in cities, and how governments and other decision-makers can respond to them more effectively.

Four tall cranes standing behind some buildings

Cities

South Africa and Colombia have very different histories. However, have both confronted a range of overlapping urban crises in recent years. Working in four cities - Cape Town, Johannesburg, Cali and Buenaventura - allowed cross-country learning and comparison.

A drum surrounded by picked flowers arranged in a circle

Storytelling

Our project used an innovative storytelling methodology alongside other methods to find out about these issues.

A woman in glasses and a leopard print hat smiling at the camera

Stories

Participants from four cities produced amazing stories which reveal how local people experience and respond to crises. Click here to read, listen to and view these stories.

A group of people standing in a line on a sunny day near some trees

Our Partners

We are a team of researchers working across four universities in collaboration with a range of community organisations in Colombia and South Africa. The project is funded by the British Academy.