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In developing countries, people living in informal settlements are subjected to different forms of coercive control such as threats of evictions, exclusion, blocked access to urban services and other types of structural violence. These coercive measures are legitimised through the discursive branding of informal settlements as ‘unplanned’, ‘disorderly’ and ‘dangerous’ neighbourhoods. This paper examines how people living in these denigrated neighbourhoods engage with and resist this territorial stigmatisation. It uses data from key informant interviews (KIIs) with urban elites, in-depth interviews (IDIs) and focus group discussions (FGDs) with residents of Harare’s informal settlements. Our analysis reveals that while some informal settlement residents have internalised stigmatising discourses, others resist them through constructing counternarratives that seek to portray their settlements as ‘good places for the urban poor’, thereby creating a positive image of their neighbourhoods in the context of extreme spatial and socio-economic marginalisation. These place-based narratives are rooted in the shared experiences with informality and associational life in a city where such residents are needed yet unwanted. We conclude that while informal settlement residents are aware of their precarity and tenure insecurities, these counternarratives build strong solidarities to resist state-sponsored evictions, arbitrary relocations and other forms of structural violence.

At the point of adopting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Africa’s starting point on almost all dimensions of development was much lower than that of other regions of the world. Thus, SDG progress on the continent determines to a large extent whether the global SDG commitment to ‘leave no one behind’ remains rhetoric or becomes reality. Local government action is critical to the achievement of the SDGs, as most services provided at the local level have a direct impact on SDG indicators. This paper reflects on the first quadrennial review cycle of the SDGs, and highlights challenges encountered in localising the SDGs in sub-Saharan Africa. Furthermore, the paper contributes to the ongoing strategising for the remaining timeline of the SDGs and analyses the opportunities for local governments to contribute to SDG implementation. The paper also seeks to inform policy action to strengthen local capacity to drive the SDGs agenda in the ‘Decade of Action’ (2020–2030).

Fieldwork can be an enjoyable academic adventure producing lifelong experiences of excitement and a sense of academic accomplishment. However, it can be an equally frustrating undertaking, especially when carried out in ‘unfamiliar’ environments. This paper adds to the growing number of studies about fieldworkers’ experiences by reflecting on the complexities involved in the process and proffering ways to respond to them. We share our perspectives as three adult African males conducting research in a predominantly female space in two informal markets in Accra, Ghana. To do this, we engage with five issues related to fieldwork: preparing to enter the field; negotiating access; handling interviews; dealing with ethical dilemmas; and exiting the field. We found that being male is not a barrier to conducting research in a predominantly female space. The success of our fieldwork was a product of our ability to adapt, be creative, appreciate our inadequacies, learn quickly and also take some practical and common-sense steps. Our hope is that the insights shared in this paper will serve as a compass for prospective fieldworkers.

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set out to achieve the ambitious goal of addressing all forms of poverty, fighting inequality, tackling climate change, while ensuring that no one is left behind. Five years into the implementation of the SDGs, though progress has been recorded in some places, significant challenges persist globally. In 2019, the UN Secretary-General declared a “Decade of Action” commencing in 2020 until 2030. In the light of this campaign, it is important that all effort is garnered to accelerate action towards achieving the goals. The local government level is increasingly being recognized as the key locus of development effort, particularly because the SDGs are relevant to local jurisdictions and change can be tangibly measured at smaller scales. This paper contributes to the ongoing discourse on how best to localize the global goals. Reflecting on the Ghanaian context, the paper discusses guiding principles for effective communities of practice at the local government level. Overall, the paper underlines the advantages of coordination among stakeholders, which constitute essential ingredients for accelerating action towards the SDGs especially as we commence the “Decade of Action.”

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This study examines local government officials’ perspectives on framing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the Ghanaian context. The emerging themes suggest a dualistic framing of the SDGs by local actors, with the SDGs framed, on the one hand, as part of ongoing development programming and, on the other hand, as a framework that facilitates local development and provides a standard for local development. Framing the SDGs as ‘new wine’ in the ‘old wineskins’ of existing local development programming risks watering down the SDGs’ ambition through localization. However, framing the SDGs as local development facilitators enables innovations embedded in the SDGs’ ‘new wine’, to enhance the ‘old wineskins’ of existing development.