For the next 5 weeks I have the privilege of calling Cape Town my home. I am embarking on a research visit to the University of Cape Town and will be hosted by the African Centre for Cities. The aim of my research visit is to explore the planning issues associated with the use of tourism for … Continue reading Cape Chronicles I – Sarafina! and predeparture briefing
Ghana
Ciao Napoli – I hope to see you again!
My first outside social encounter in Napoli on the second night of my stay in the city took place at the entrance of a restaurant and unfolded like this: Me: "Are you already serving food?" Italian Waiter:"Food?" Me:"Yes!" Italian Waiter:"Do you want to eat?" Me:"Yes!" Italian Waiter:"Do you have money?" Me:"What?!?" Italian Waiter:"Do you have … Continue reading Ciao Napoli – I hope to see you again!
The continued existence of international development researchers
On The Guardian’s Global Development Professionals Network page, I recently came across an article and from where I ‘borrowed’ the title for this blog post. In that short article (which you can see here) the author raises some interesting points about current international development practice. The central question posed by the author is whether International … Continue reading The continued existence of international development researchers
Researcher Reflexivity in Planning Research: My view from Elmina, Ghana*
As a Ghanaian keenly interested in the development of my country I feel very frustrated most times when I think of the considerable abuse of power coupled with the systemic and structural constraints to innovative thinking among planners and policy makers. Within this context of yearning for development in Ghana, the conduct of my fieldwork … Continue reading Researcher Reflexivity in Planning Research: My view from Elmina, Ghana*
100 key research questions for the post-2015 development agenda: a research paper
I am please to announce the publication of a new research article that identifies 100 key questions to be considered in the context of the new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In March, 2015 I wrote a short blog post about a working paper that was published as part of a research project I was involved in … Continue reading 100 key research questions for the post-2015 development agenda: a research paper
Forcing the butterfly out of a cocoon: institutional formation and change in developing countries
In the first week of June, 2015 I attended a tourism research conference in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania organised by ATLAS Africa. For my presentations titled “Today is party A, tomorrow is party B”: the politics of the tourism-poverty nexus in Ghana I made the argument that the state is critical for tourism development and … Continue reading Forcing the butterfly out of a cocoon: institutional formation and change in developing countries
Africa is a country…..so is South Africa
Did you know that Africa is a country? Well apparently the cliché is not only used by the average person but even institutions like my own University of Sheffield. Sometimes you just have to laugh these things off but most times it is a tad bit annoying that people keep lumping all the 54 countries … Continue reading Africa is a country…..so is South Africa
The pain, pain and some joy of transcription
Unlike mainly quantitative research that rely on the cliché of number crunching, interviews as used in qualitative research allow one to get access to a wealth of information that can provide insights over and above what the numbers tell. This makes the use of interview data in research a joy. However, the very joy of … Continue reading The pain, pain and some joy of transcription
On the making of academic country experts in international development
Just last week Thursday 12th March, 2015, I attended the 6th Annual Sheffield Institute for International Development (SIID) Postgraduate Conference here at the University of Sheffield. This year's theme was “Reflecting on development: Global narratives, local realities” with a number of interesting PhD student presentations. A thought-provoking keynote address by Prof. Diana Mitlin raised a number of … Continue reading On the making of academic country experts in international development
The boredom and joys of fieldwork in Ghana
This blog post was first written for and published on 6th November, 2014 by the Sheffield Institute for International Development (SIID) under the 'Students Insights' feature of their website. I am republishing it here without edit but with only the addition of pictures. I have so far enjoyed my PhD journey which started in September, … Continue reading The boredom and joys of fieldwork in Ghana
Emmanuel Akwasi Adu-Ampong 