CU Students

Students' theses:

  • Brown, Raven E. "Bridging the Gap: Innovative Strategies towards Gender Empowerment and HIV service provision in Alexandra Township, South Africa, A Case Study." 2008
  • Faith, Jessica. "Towards Authentic Human Development? Slum Upgrading in Johannesburg, South Africa." 2008
  • Rowbottom, Sara. "Whose Urban Mobility? Transport Investments and Youth: A Case in Dakar." 2007

Project with the International Labor Organization (ILO)

The collaboration between the ILO and the New School has thus far involved four current and former GPIA students in the development of a discussion paper on urban employment. While the discussion paper reviews literature and thinking on urban development issues over the past several decades, from the perspectives of both academics and practitioners, the students focused their research and analysis on policies and programs of the Cities Alliance.

Working at the level of municipalities, the Cities Alliance employs two basic strategies in city development programs: City Development Strategies and Slum Upgrading Strategies. In connection with the aims of the ILO, a contributor to the Cities Alliance, students examined these strategies in terms of how they relate to employment - specifically whether or not they utliize employment-intensive and labor-creation strategies in the implementation of these policies.

Specific Cities Alliance programs were reviewed in Brazil, Chile, China, Egypt, India, Nigeria, the Philippines, and South Africa. The review thus far indicates that employment is either seen to be a residual result achieved through an improved investment climate and decreased costs of doing business, or employment is regarded as a social issue; grouped with issues such as health, education and sanitation. The benefit of employment then, through the Cities Alliance strategies reviewed by students, is more of a trickle-down, hoped-for effect, rather than a challenge which is directly tackled.

There is potential for additional research and analysis based on initial findings and discussion and feedback from officials at both the ILO and the Cities Alliance.