Smith Ouma

I am currently a Leverhulme early career researcher at the Global Development Institute. Prior to this role, I was a post-doctoral research fellow with the FCDO-funded African Cities Research Consortium.

With a background in law, my research is inherently interdisciplinary, spanning legal geography, urban politics, urban health, and development studies.

My primary focus lies in understanding the political economy of informal settlements and systems failings in cities, particularly in Africa. As part of this interest, I have engaged with multiple actors to understand how power is performed and how interests emerge and compete in informal settlements contexts. I also look at the everyday practices of marginalised urban residents to understand how agency is exercised, and the different strategies and tools that are employed to realise rights in the city. Additionally, I have strong research and professional interest in the field of land law.