Urban Radar

Sheffield Urbanism
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Urban Radar is a podcast series brought to you by Sheffield Urbanism, which reflects on current events and emerging trends through the lens of cities and urban life. Drawing on the unique range of expertise in the Faculty of Social Science at the University of Sheffield, UK, we place urban dynamics at the centre of contemporary global affairs. Sheffield Urbanism is a joint initiative led by the Urban Institute and School of Geography & Planning at the University of Sheffield. Credits:  Podcast production, presentation & editing: Tom Goodfellow & Beth Perry Post-production editing & marketing: Polly Clifton Production support: Jack Clayton Distribution, promotion & marketing: Riya Singh & Vicky Simpson Music: Horizon (music by Tom Goodfellow, produced by Alan Thomson); Falling Down (music by Tom Goodfellow, performed by the Dice, produced by Alan Thomson); Ghosts (music by the Dice; produced by Alan Thompson); Kilimanjaro (music by Tom Goodfellow, produced by Alan Thompson). Supported by the Faculty of Social Science at the University of Sheffield Thanks to the Creative Media Suite at University of Sheffield. 

  1. DEC 16

    Radar 12: WRAP UP, REFLECTION & REVEAL (+ Care and the city, +Aussie social media ban, +urban themes of the year and much more...)

    This month, we (Beth and Tom) are podding alone, using the final episode of the year to reflect on some of the big themes we’ve discussed in 2025 as well as on the process of making Urban Radar.  We start with our monthly radar for December, dipping into three current stories each as usual.  Following this we offer some quick-fire thoughts on a number of issues and themes that have resurfaced repeatedly throughout the year and remain prominent as it draws to a close. Finally, we consider some of the highlights of podcasting itself, before unveiling a surprise in store for Series 2… On our monthly radar for December:  Care work and the city - from the UK’s current ‘carers scandal’ to Bogota’s care blocksUrban ‘brandalism’, ZAP games and ‘subtervising’ (confused? Head to 9:15 to find out…)The decline of trial by jury in the UK and what this might mean for urban justice and efforts to overcome spatial, class and linguistic biasAmerica’s new National Security Strategy and how this connects to Trump’s war on urban diversityThe Australian social media ban and its potentially different ramifications in urban vs rural areas Syrian cities one year after the fall of AssadOn our rapid fire ‘radar of radars’, we consider: Military coups and their urban implicationsTechnology and public spaceFlag urbanism and the branding of the cityThe UK-Denmark anti-migration love-inSolidarity, belonging and ‘urban lawfare’The entanglements of local infrastructure and global financeUrban warfare, critical minerals and strongman diplomacyRead More The Independent Review of Carer's Allowance Overpayments: A Welcome Step Towards Wider Reform of Welfare Benefits for Carers | the Centre for Care Caring Cities: Towards a Public Urban Culture of Care? Dismantling the advertising city: Subvertising and the urban commons to come Activating the playful city: A review of ludic urbanism and introducing the ludic continuum framework Hosts: Tom Goodfellow is Professor of Urban Studies and International Development in the School of Geography and Planning at the University of Sheffield. His research focuses on the political economy of urban development and change in Africa, particularly the politics of urban land and transportation, conflicts around infrastructure and housing, and urban institutional change. Beth Perry is Professor of Urban Epistemics and Director of the Urban Institute at the University of Sheffield. Her research focuses on the relationships between urban expertise, governance and justice, underpinned by a commitment to co-producing collective intelligence across multiple scales to address complex urban challenges. She has worked in cities in Africa, Europe and the UK. If you want to know more about the research featured in this podcast, follow Sheffield Urbanism on LinkedIn, or bluesky, Instagram or visit www.sheffield.ac.uk/urban-institute Email feedback to: UrbanRadar-group@sheffield.ac.uk Thanks to the Faculty of Social Science at the University of Sheffield for funding this podcast and the Creative Media Suite for recording facilities.

    50 min

  2. NOV 28

    Radar 11: CHILD LABOUR AND DISINFORMATION (+immigration policy, +COP30 in Belem, +ticket touts, +urban statistics and more…)

    In this episode we are joined by Professor Julia Moses to consider the working lives and rights of children, and then Dr Dani Madrid-Morales to discuss disinformation and how it plays out across urban and rural areas. Reflecting on World Children's Day on 20 November, we explore children's rights and how these relate to questions of labour, as well as how attitudes to child labour have varied over time and in different national contexts (28:08). Then, in light of recent accusations from Donald Trump towards the BBC's reporting, we delve into the the challenge of misinformation, how it is changing and how it differs spatially across and within urban and rural areas (48:24).  Also on our radar: how policy learning between Denmark and the UK is shaping Labour's new 'hostile environment'whether new curbs on ticket touts suggest lessons for wider market regulationthe deadly response to urban protests in post-election Tanzania how Belem has shaped the agenda and design of COP30whether the world is urbanizing faster than we thinkwhat recent UK statistics on multiple deprivation tell us about urban declineGuests: Julia Moses is a Professor of Modern History in the School of History, Philosophy and Digital Humanities at the University of Sheffield. She is currently leading a project, funded by AHRC, on Global Socio-Economic Rights, Local Contexts, with colleagues at the Universities of Edinburgh, Dar es Salaam and Ruhr University Bochum. The call for the virtual exhibition, mentioned in the podcast, is here Virtual Exhibition – Call for Contributions! – Global Socio-Economic Rights, Local Contexts. Dr Dani Madrid Morales is a Lecturer in Journalism and Global Communication in the School of Information, Journalism and Communication at the University of Sheffield. He co-leads the Disinformation Research Cluster in his School. His own work studies the geopolitics of disinformation in Sub-Saharan Africa, particularly from an audience perspective. His latest book on this topic, co-edited with Herman Wasserman, is Disinformation in the Global South (Wiley). Dani also helps curate disinfoafrica.org, a website that brings together research on mis/disinformation in Africa.  Hosts: Tom Goodfellow is Professor of Urban Studies and International Development in the School of Geography and Planning at the University of Sheffield. His research focuses on the political economy of urban development and change in Africa, particularly the politics of urban land and transportation, conflicts around infrastructure and housing, and urban institutional change. Beth Perry is Professor of Urban Epistemics and Director of the Urban Institute at the University of Sheffield. Her research focuses on the relationships between urban expertise, governance and justice, underpinned by a commitment to co-producing collective intelligence across multiple scales to address complex urban challenges. She has worked in cities in Africa, Europe and the UK. If you want to know more about the research featured in this podcast, follow Sheffield Urbanism on LinkedIn, or bluesky, Instagram or visit www.sheffield.ac.uk/urban-institute Email feedback to: UrbanRadar-group@sheffield.ac.uk Thanks to the Faculty of Social Science at the University of Sheffield for funding this podcast and the Creative Media Suite for recording facilities.

    1h 16m

  3. NOV 13

    Feature 10: CHINA, THE GLOBAL INFRASTRUCTURE RACE AND ITS URBAN IMPACTS - A panel with Jon Silver, Zhengli Huang and Linda Westman

    In this feature, Tom and Beth discuss the Global Infrastructure Race with colleagues from the Urban Institute (UI), recorded live as part of the UI’s 10 year anniversary celebrations. Drawing on insights emerging from the GlobalCORRIDOR and Pluralize projects, Jon Silver, Zhengli Huang and Linda Westman share their interpretation of the Global Infrastructure Race, its urban impacts and how we can centre and decentre the role of China. Specifically they discuss: What is the Global Infrastructure Race and how can we understand its diverse geopolitical and economic manifestations?How can historical and contemporary analysis help unpack the role of China and Chinese investments?What are the impacts on cities and urban inequalities of these activities in and beyond China?             Guests Professor Jon Silver is an urban geographer interested in the uneven ways in which infrastructure is planned, operationalised and experienced, working across a range of cities in the global norths and south. He leads the GlobalCORRIDOR project. Dr Zhengli Huang works on Chinese investment in infrastructure across Africa. She worked and lived in Kenya and her fieldwork experience extends to Ethiopia, Uganda, Zambia, and Mozambique. She works on GlobalCORRIDOR and Pluralize.  Dr Linda Westman focusses on climate politics, urban transformation, and sustainability discourses, including the policy/governance aspects of low-carbon development in cities in China. She leads the Pluralize project.  Read More  The Material Geographies of the Belt and Road Initiative Governing Climate Change in a Changing World  Chinese Economic Zones in Africa Funding GlobalCORRIDOR (ID: 947779) funded by the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme. Pluralize was originally granted by the HORIZON Call: ERC-2022-STG and funded by UKRI (EP/Y00020X/1). Hosts: Tom Goodfellow is Professor of Urban Studies and International Development in the School of Geography and Planning at the University of Sheffield. His research focuses on the political economy of urban development and change in Africa, particularly the politics of urban land and transportation, conflicts around infrastructure and housing, and urban institutional change. Beth Perry is Professor of Urban Epistemics and Director of the Urban Institute at the University of Sheffield. Her research focuses on the relationships between urban expertise, governance and justice, underpinned by a commitment to co-producing collective intelligence across multiple scales to address complex urban challenges. She has worked in cities in Africa, Europe and the UK. If you want to know more about the research featured in this podcast, follow Sheffield Urbanism on LinkedIn, or bluesky, Instagram or visit www.sheffield.ac.uk/urban-institute Email feedback to: UrbanRadar-group@sheffield.ac.uk Thanks to the Faculty of Social Science at the University of Sheffield for funding this podcast and the Creative Media Suite for recording facilities.

    1h 17m

  4. OCT 31

    Radar 10: GREEN RESURGENCE & GAZA RECONSTRUCTION (+Brexit, +rats, +Louvre heist, +AI Friend and more)

    Released to coincide with World Cities Day on 31 October, this episode sees Beth and Tom first joined by Prof. Matthew Flinders (26:09) to discuss what the rise in fortunes of the Green Party, UK, under Zack Polanski, means for progressive politics in the UK, and for a city like Sheffield. Then, with Said Zaaneen (51:46), they dive into what the history of refugee camps in the Gaza strip tells us about the role of international humanitarian aid, and consider implications for future reconstruction.  Also on our radar: The ongoing impacts of Brexit on Northern citiesRats and multi-species urban lifeUrbanisation, colonisation, colonialism & outer spaceCable cars, white elephants and Gen Z protests in MadagascarThe Louvre heist & the material fabric of the cityWhy New Yorkers are not friends with AI FriendGuests: Matthew Flinders is Professor of Politics, Vice-President of the Political Studies Association and Chair of the Universities Policy Engagement Network. A former special advisor in both the House of Lords and House of Commons, he specialises in theoretically-informed policy-relevant research including on accountability, blame and democracy.  Said Zaaneen is in the final stages of his PhD here at the University of Sheffield on Humanitarian aid, socio-spatial dynamics, and the evolution of refugee camps in the Gaza Strip, focusing particularly on two specific camps in Gaza - Jabalia and Deir Al Balah. Said also has an MSc in Management and Implementation of Development Projects from the University of Manchester, and prior to his PhD had more than 10 years experience working in humanitarian and development projects in the Gaza Strip. Read More: Madagascar protests: how ousted president Andry Rajoelina’s urban agenda backfired Decolonial Museology, Space Travel and the Mineral Cabinet | Museum & Society Hosts: Tom Goodfellow is Professor of Urban Studies and International Development in the School of Geography and Planning at the University of Sheffield. His research focuses on the political economy of urban development and change in Africa, particularly the politics of urban land and transportation, conflicts around infrastructure and housing, and urban institutional change. Beth Perry is Professor of Urban Epistemics and Director of the Urban Institute at the University of Sheffield. Her research focuses on the relationships between urban expertise, governance and justice, underpinned by a commitment to co-producing collective intelligence across multiple scales to address complex urban challenges. She has worked in cities in Africa, Europe and the UK. If you want to know more about the research featured in this podcast, follow Sheffield Urbanism on LinkedIn, or bluesky, Instagram or visit www.sheffield.ac.uk/urban-institute Email feedback to: UrbanRadar-group@sheffield.ac.uk Thanks to the Faculty of Social Science at the University of Sheffield for funding this podcast and the Creative Media Suite for recording facilities.

    1h 21m

  5. OCT 20

    Feature 9: HUMANITY'S URBAN FUTURE - A conversation with AbdouMaliq Simone and Ash Amin

    In this month’s feature Tom and Beth are joined by two leading scholars of the urban condition - Ash Amin and AbdouMaliq Simone - to reflect on questions of inclusion and belonging in the search for the 'good city'. Building on their collaborative work for the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research's Humanity's Urban Future programme, our guests consider:  Are ideas of the good city still relevant in face of worsening inequality, segregation and individualism?Can a progressive politics of belonging overcome these divisions in a renewed urban public sphere? And, as Black History Month draws to an end, how might ideas of ‘black urbanism’ inform and enrich the field of urban studies?Guests AbdouMaliq Simone works on issues of spatial composition in extended urban regions, the production of everyday life for urban majorities in the Global South, infrastructural imaginaries, collective affect, global blackness, and histories of the present for Muslim working classes. He is Professor Emeritus at the Urban Institute (University of Sheffield) and co-director of the Beyond Inhabitation Lab, Polytechnic University of Turin. In this episode he draws on themes explored in his work including The Surrounds: Urban Life within and beyond Capture and Improvised Lives.  Professor Amin (University of Cambridge) is known for his work on the geographies of modern living: cities and regions as relationally constituted; globalisation, race and multiculture as a hybrid of biopolitics, and vernacular practices. He was founding co-editor of the Review of International Political Economy, is associate editor of City and is a Fellow of the British Academy and the Academy of Social Sciences.  In this episode we discuss his recent book After Nativism: Belonging in an Age of Intolerance and refer back to previous work including Seeing Like a City. Hosts: Tom Goodfellow is Professor of Urban Studies and International Development in the School of Geography and Planning at the University of Sheffield. His research focuses on the political economy of urban development and change in Africa, particularly the politics of urban land and transportation, conflicts around infrastructure and housing, and urban institutional change. Beth Perry is Professor of Urban Epistemics and Director of the Urban Institute at the University of Sheffield. Her research focuses on the relationships between urban expertise, governance and justice, underpinned by a commitment to co-producing collective intelligence across multiple scales to address complex urban challenges. She has worked in cities in Africa, Europe and the UK. If you want to know more about the research featured in this podcast, follow Sheffield Urbanism on LinkedIn, or bluesky, Instagram or visit www.sheffield.ac.uk/urban-institute Email feedback to: UrbanRadar-group@sheffield.ac.uk Thanks to the Faculty of Social Science at the University of Sheffield for funding this podcast and the Creative Media Suite for recording facilities.

    1h 3m

  6. SEP 29

    Radar 9: CONFLICT & URBAN TERRITORY - FROM UK HOMELESSNESS TO UPRISING IN NEPAL (+West Bank settlements, +witchcraft, +cars and more)

    This month we are joined by Dr Sam Burgum & Professor Simon Rushton to dive into what the new UK Minister for Homelessness should have on their agenda (27:50) and how we can understand the wider socio-economic issues shaping the recent Gen Z uprising in Nepal (50:08).  Cutting across our discussions are questions of conflict over and in urban territory, federalism and decentralisation and how best to meet basic needs - such as shelter, health or security at the local (and national) level. Also on our radar: What does the new US-UK tech partnership mean for regional inequalities, and how might this be regulated?The implications of extended settlements or 'outposts' in the West BankThe urban dynamics of witchcraft What 'Your Party' could learn from New MunicipalismCities for cars not people? (and the masculinity of urban planning)Who is left to report on local democracy and conflict? The global crisis in press freedomGuests: Sam Burgum is a Visiting Researcher at the Urban Institute and works on homelessness, property and trespass. He has written about squatting in London, the city as archive, and the importance of a historical understanding of property ownership and who has the right to urban space. Simon Rushton is Professor of International Politics in the School of Politics, Sociology and International Relations, working across issues including healthcare in Nepal and peace in Colombia. One recent co-authored book is Participating in Peace with a range of colleagues, and collaborated with CORMEPAZ, Plataforma IAP and PHASE Nepal. Read More: Corbyn's Momentum Beyond the local trap Becoming common of the public Roadkill Hosts: Tom Goodfellow is Professor of Urban Studies and International Development in the School of Geography and Planning at the University of Sheffield. His research focuses on the political economy of urban development and change in Africa, particularly the politics of urban land and transportation, conflicts around infrastructure and housing, and urban institutional change. Beth Perry is Professor of Urban Epistemics and Director of the Urban Institute at the University of Sheffield. Her research focuses on the relationships between urban expertise, governance and justice, underpinned by a commitment to co-producing collective intelligence across multiple scales to address complex urban challenges. She has worked in cities in Africa, Europe and the UK. If you want to know more about the research featured in this podcast, follow Sheffield Urbanism on LinkedIn, or bluesky, Instagram or visit www.sheffield.ac.uk/urban-institute Email feedback to: UrbanRadar-group@sheffield.ac.uk Thanks to the Faculty of Social Science at the University of Sheffield for funding this podcast and the Creative Media Suite for recording facilities.

    1h 20m

  7. SEP 23

    Feature 8: URBAN INFORMALITY AND TRANSLOCAL LEARNING - A conversation with Melanie Lombard and Diana Mitlin

    In this month's episode Tom and Beth discuss the value of translocal learning to address poverty and inequality for women in low income communities in India, Southern Africa, Kenya and the UK.  Joined by guests Melanie Lombard and Diana Mitlin, they ask: What can we learn from informal processes and practices in South Asian and African cities to address social injustice and poverty here in the UK?What kinds of trans-national networks can support this work and how do they build solidarities amongst and within low income communities?What does this mean for the roles of academics in realising more just cities?Guests: Dr Melanie Lombard is a Senior Lecturer in Urban Studies and Planning and Urban Institute Associate at the University of Sheffield. She is particularly interested in urban informality, and urban land and conflict processes. She has explored these themes in cities in Mexico, Colombia, Ethiopia, Uganda and Nigeria. Before moving to the University of Sheffield in 2016, she taught at the University of Manchester’s Global Development Institute/Global Urban Research Centre (2010-2016). Her previous professional experience includes working in the UK social housing sector. She is a Trustee of CLASS (Community Led Action and Savings Support), a charity supporting the Manchester-based Community Savers network. Professor Diana Mitlin works in the Global Development Institute | The University of Manchester. From 2020, Diana has been CEO of the African Cities Research Consortium. Diana’s work focuses on urban poverty reduction programmes and the contribution of co-production and collective action by low-income and otherwise disadvantaged groups. She has had a particular research focus on issues of urban basic services, tenure and housing.  Diana works closely with SDI (Slum/Shack Dwellers International), a trans-national network of homeless and landless people’s federations and NGOs. Hosts: Tom Goodfellow is Professor of Urban Studies and International Development in the School of Geography and Planning at the University of Sheffield. His research focuses on the political economy of urban development and change in Africa, particularly the politics of urban land and transportation, conflicts around infrastructure and housing, and urban institutional change. Beth Perry is Professor of Urban Epistemics and Director of the Urban Institute at the University of Sheffield. Her research focuses on the relationships between urban expertise, governance and justice, underpinned by a commitment to co-producing collective intelligence across multiple scales to address complex urban challenges. She has worked in cities in Africa, Europe and the UK. If you want to know more about the research featured in this podcast, follow Sheffield Urbanism on LinkedIn, or bluesky, Instagram or visit www.sheffield.ac.uk/urban-institute Email feedback to: UrbanRadar-group@sheffield.ac.uk Thanks to the Faculty of Social Science at the University of Sheffield for funding this podcast and the Creative Media Suite for recording facilities.

    57 min

  8. SEP 4

    Radar 8: SCHOOLING AND SURVIVING IN ENGLAND AND SUDAN (+policing/protests, +flags/fakes, +mining and cities on the move)

    This month we are joined by Drs Christina Tatham & Cathy Wilcock for a post-summer bumper episode.  First in England, many children are starting school for the first time, including those with English as a second language, against a backdrop of stubborn spatial inequalities in educational outcomes later in life (31:26).  Then, in the face of civil war and conflict in Sudan, we dive into how urban communities in and beyond national borders are finding ways to build resilience and retain diaspora identities (52:20).   And on our radar: Labubus & counterfeits in the cityLocal variations in policing protestsUrban mining over time Trump's 'take over' of Washington DCThe symbolism of flags & roundabouts How cities might survive the loss of their physical territoryGuests: Dr Christina Tatham is a Lecturer in Early Childhood Education and has written widely on superdiversity and multilingualism in schools, including the use of creative methodologies and the importance of play. Dr Cathy Wilcock is a post-doctoral researcher in the School of Geography and Planning whose work has focussed on Sudan, South Sudan and the formation and importance of diaspora communities, and music scenes.   More: The Pirate Function Cities Rethought Despite what The Atlantic says, Sudan is not locked in a war about nothing Hosts: Tom Goodfellow is Professor of Urban Studies and International Development in the School of Geography and Planning at the University of Sheffield. His research focuses on the political economy of urban development and change in Africa, particularly the politics of urban land and transportation, conflicts around infrastructure and housing, and urban institutional change. Beth Perry is Professor of Urban Epistemics and Director of the Urban Institute at the University of Sheffield. Her research focuses on the relationships between urban expertise, governance and justice, underpinned by a commitment to co-producing collective intelligence across multiple scales to address complex urban challenges. She has worked in cities in Africa, Europe and the UK. If you want to know more about the research featured in this podcast, follow Sheffield Urbanism on LinkedIn, or bluesky, Instagram or visit www.sheffield.ac.uk/urban-institute Email feedback to: UrbanRadar-group@sheffield.ac.uk Thanks to the Faculty of Social Science at the University of Sheffield for funding this podcast and the Creative Media Suite for recording facilities.

    1h 21m
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About

Urban Radar is a podcast series brought to you by Sheffield Urbanism, which reflects on current events and emerging trends through the lens of cities and urban life. Drawing on the unique range of expertise in the Faculty of Social Science at the University of Sheffield, UK, we place urban dynamics at the centre of contemporary global affairs. Sheffield Urbanism is a joint initiative led by the Urban Institute and School of Geography & Planning at the University of Sheffield. Credits:  Podcast production, presentation & editing: Tom Goodfellow & Beth Perry Post-production editing & marketing: Polly Clifton Production support: Jack Clayton Distribution, promotion & marketing: Riya Singh & Vicky Simpson Music: Horizon (music by Tom Goodfellow, produced by Alan Thomson); Falling Down (music by Tom Goodfellow, performed by the Dice, produced by Alan Thomson); Ghosts (music by the Dice; produced by Alan Thompson); Kilimanjaro (music by Tom Goodfellow, produced by Alan Thompson). Supported by the Faculty of Social Science at the University of Sheffield Thanks to the Creative Media Suite at University of Sheffield. 

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    Sheffield Urbanism
  • Years Active
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  • Episodes
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    © 2025 Urban Radar
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