This seminar series, funded by the Urban Studies Foundation, brings together scholars working on Africa and Eastern Europe to explore how cities are shaped by state actors and political dynamics. While studies of urban politics often focus on Western cities, this series highlights the rich insights from two regions that are frequently overlooked. By comparing experiences of urban development across Africa and Eastern Europe, we aim to rethink how we understand state power, governance, and urban change. The discussions will explore the fluid and negotiated nature of urban politics in regions where formal government institutions are also shaped by diverse actor interests, including personal wealth accumulation, strengthening communal networks, and projecting legitimacy. The series will foster cross-regional conversations, share innovative research methods, and aim to open up new ways of thinking about cities and the role of the state. It will initiate a longer-term space for learning, dialogue, and building connections across these two regions.
Our first 2-day workshop in Tallinn, ‘Decentring Urban Politics: Thinking across Eastern Europe and Africa’, aims to bring both contexts into direct dialogue. We will explore the limits and possibilities for comparison through plenaries, roundtables, and small group discussions. Two keynote speakers will open the event by addressing ‘Thinking post-socialism with/from elsewhere,’ and discussing post-socialism as a concept and African politics. They will also share their thoughts on approaching each context in relation to wider processes and experiences or conceptualisations of other contexts. This will be followed by a panel discussion on the potential for Africa-Eastern Europe comparative urban analysis (featuring cases from Czechia, Slovakia, Ethiopia, and post-Soviet countries), around issues of ‘States, Statecraft, Stateness’. The afternoon session will examine efforts to ‘bypass’ and ‘recentre’ the State in both Eastern Europe and Africa. The day will conclude with a tour in Tallinn (location to be confirmed) and a dinner for all participants.
On day two, the first session will highlight urban research areas where connections and flows shape outcomes. Researchers will explore how ideas, practices, and concepts circulate beyond specific contexts in developing their analyses. We’ll examine how these approaches have influenced interpretations of both regions, encouraging thinking beyond geographical boundaries.
The following session will explore initiatives to transnationalize insights from Eastern Europe and Africa, treating each region as a source of theoretical innovation. In the afternoon, a roundtable discussion will identify additional urban themes for Africa-Eastern Europe comparative analysis.
The day will conclude with an open discussion on creative approaches to encourage further comparison and contextual analysis across the two regions. Participants will work in smaller groups to develop ideas and frameworks on comparison strategies based on insights learned. The session will aim to explore nodes of connection between the two contexts, focusing on:
• Unexpected connections between the two contexts
• Underlying patterns and structures that shape similarities and differences
• Ways of thinking about these contexts in conversation with each other
The event will end with shared reflections during a walk around the city to examine urban layers—pre-Soviet, Soviet, and capitalist urban transformations—before heading to the dinner venue.
Check the Calendar!