African cities, a catalyst for change

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We hear a lot about the poverty and chaos of African cities, but in this edition of Amsterdam Forum, urbanist Abdoumaliq Simone argues that there is also a ferment of resourcefulness that makes cities vibrant places. It takes many forms and needs to be understood, as it could well form an essential basis for urban development in Africa.

Abdoumaliq Simone is an urbanist at Goldsmiths College, University of London. His career has encompassed both academia and social activism.

Professor Simone prefers to go "beyond alarmist discourses of impending slum wars, geopolitical instabilities, resource rushes and intensified impoverishment" and focus on the "efficacy" of African cities, particularly at survival strategies of people "below the radar" of social sciences.

Although it's hard to generalise about African cities, Prof. Simone identifies several processes that are both problematic and potential resources for future urban development.