Oliver Harman
DPhil in Sustainable Urban Development
Thesis
People, power and place: Decentralisation, urbanisation, and local economic development in Africa
Research abstract
This research will look at decentralisation in low income, quickly urbanising countries in Africa—specifically, West, Central and primarily East Africa. The research intent is twofold. Firstly, it will theoretically outline and measure over twenty years a new index for decentralisation in urban Africa. Secondly, with this measure it will statistically test a number of key questions and hypothesis from the fiscal federalism and decentralisation literature and analyse the potential consequences for sustainable urban development.
Supervisor(s)
Biography
Oliver began his DPhil in Sustainable Urban Development in 2021 as a Clarendon Scholar. His research looks at financing and governing sustainable urban development in low income and fast-growing cities—primarily in Sub-Saharan Africa. He intends to use interdisciplinary approach, bridging urban economics and economic geography.
Professionally, Oliver attempts to bridge the gap between research and policy translating economic literature into clear urban policy guidance for emerging country city governments.
He firstly does this as a Cities Economist for the International Growth Centre's (IGC) Cities that Work initiative based at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). He is also Research Affiliate at Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford and teaches 'Using Economics in Government' at Kings College London.
Publications
Crescenzi, R,. and Harman, O. (2023). Harnessing Global Value Chains for regional development. Regional Studies Association Policy Impact Book. Routledge. [Please see Open Access Overview ‘The book in a nutshell’]
Delbridge, V., Harman, O., Oliveira-Cunha, J., and Venables, AJ. (2022). Sustainable urbanisation in developing countries: Cities as places to innovate, trade, and work. International Growth Centre Growth Brief
All other recent publications found here on personal website
Papers and lectures
Infrastructure projects for African integration into global value chains - Digital Presentation
Funding and financing city governments - Digital presentation
Research interests
decentralisation and multi-level governance, financing sustainable urban development, global value chains for regional upgrading, urban economics, economic geography
