Security at the Margins (SeaM): Spaces and strategies for negotiating security in urban South Africa

Duration: 11/15 – 08/19

While cities have brought considerably benefits to many, for the most marginalised residents they are often sites of conflict, exclusion and environmental degradation. This is especially true in South Africa, where the country’s rapid urbanisation in areas such as Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg has been characterised by profound social inequalities.

Security at the Margins (SeaM): Spaces and strategies for negotiating security in urban South Africa focuses on two broad groups who are especially vulnerable to popular prejudice and hate crime – the migrant and LGBTQ populations. The project aims to explore local capacity to negotiate these varied marginalities, with a particular focus on the role that digital technologies can play, and potential solutions to these complex challenges that can be integrated into urban policy.

The findings will improve knowledge and capacity among local authorities and providers of the difficulties experienced by stigmatised communities in urban areas, enabling them to design a more targeted and inclusive policy response.

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Barbara Bompani (Principal Investigator, Director of the Centre of African Studies)
Angus Bancroft (Senior Lecturer)
Sarah Cooper-Knock (Lecturer)
Jamie Cross (Senior Lecturer)
Graham Crow (Professor of Sociology and Methodology)
Maggie Dwyer (Research Fellow)
Jamie Furniss (Lecturer)
Thea de Gruchy (Researcher)
Alexandra Hiropoulos (Post-Doctoral Fellow)
Zaheera Jinnah (Researcher)
Alison Koslowski (Senior Lecturer in Social Policy)
Loren Landau (Professor)
JP Misago (Researcher)
Thomas Molony (Lecturer in African Studies)
Emma Monoma (Researcher)
Noeleen Murray (Professor)
Dudu Ndlovu (PHD Fellow)
Noor Nieftagodien (Associate Professor)
Paul Nugent (Professor)
Elsa Oliveira (Researcher)
Ingrid Palmary (Professor)
James Smith (Professor)
Sam Spiegel (Lecturer in International Development)
Patricia Stys (Post-Doctoral Research Fellow)
Jo Vearey (Associate Professor)
Gil Viry (Sociology Research Fellow)
Alex Wafer (Lecturer in Human Geography)
Becky Walker (Post-Doctoral Research Fellow)
Robin Williams (Professor of Social Research on Technology)
Jessica Yu (Global Health Researcher)

Engagement of a variety of stakeholders, including communities, civil society groups and government agencies, through exchanges, network development and visiting fellowships.

Provision of methods training in Big Data, Social Network Analysis, Remote Event Mapping and Visual Methods to expand the boundaries of urban research.

Sustained knowledge transfer through ‘urban lab’ pilot projects and impact training to ensure research has effective and wide-reaching influence.

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