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Emma Elfversson @emmaelfversson.bsky.social · May 20

My article forms part of a special issue on Political Change in African Cities, edited by Kristian Hoelscher, @taibatlawanson.bsky.social and Jeffrey Paller. Check out the other articles that are already out, and watch this space for the full issue: www.sciencedirect.com/special-issu... (9/9)

World Development | Political Change in African Cities: Transforming State-Society Relations | ScienceDirect.com by ElsevierScienceDirect

Africa is urbanizing rapidly, yet the political implications of this demographic transition are under researched. This special issue addresses this, arguing that the specific contexts of urban places ...

www.sciencedirect.com

Emma Elfversson @emmaelfversson.bsky.social · May 20

The Kenyan case also underlines the destructive effects of a general perception of the urban poor as a security risk: election-related violence in these cities also includes police brutality and extrajudicial killings of real or perceived criminal elements during election periods. (8/9)

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Emma Elfversson @emmaelfversson.bsky.social · May 20

I complement the statistical analyses with qualitative insights from low-income areas of Nakuru and Nairobi, two rapidly growing Kenyan cities. The dynamics of contestation in these neighbourhoods align with my overall argument but also underline the importance of local context and history. (7/9)

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Emma Elfversson @emmaelfversson.bsky.social · May 20

Extended analysis indicates that urban growth is associated with a higher risk of election violence in larger, more established cities (including both major and secondary cities), but not in the smallest cities. This is in line with arguments that ‘new cities’ feature distinct urban politics. (6/9)

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Emma Elfversson @emmaelfversson.bsky.social · May 20

My analysis also underlines that factors like political importance and city size are stronger predictors of electoral violence, and that context-specific dynamics condition the effects of urban growth. (5/9)

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Emma Elfversson @emmaelfversson.bsky.social · May 20

In my statistical analyses, I identify a robust positive correlation between the pace of population growth and the risk of electoral violence in the city. The results hold when controlling for city size, media freedom, and socioeconomic factors that could affect both urban growth and violence. (4/9)

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Emma Elfversson @emmaelfversson.bsky.social · May 20

While many previous studies of urban growth and violence have focused only on major cities (and generally found little evidence of such a relationship), I include a broader range of smaller and larger cities across Africa, enabling new insights. (3/9)

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Emma Elfversson @emmaelfversson.bsky.social · May 20

While urbanization holds a strong potential for progress and democracy-enhancement, rapid urban growth can also sharpen political competition and intensify urban grievances. I argue this can incentivise and enable political leaders to use violence to shape election outcomes. (2/9)

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Emma Elfversson @emmaelfversson.bsky.social · May 20

How does rapid urban growth affect the risk of electoral violence in African cities? In a new article (open access in World Development), I find that cities growing more rapidly were at higher risk of electoral violence. doi.org/10.1016/j.wo... (1/9)

Redirecting

doi.org

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Emma Elfversson @emmaelfversson.bsky.social · Apr 24

These findings make two important contributions: we provide new empirical evidence about the discontinuity in wartime and postwar urban violence, and develop and test theoretical arguments about how the transition from war to postwar shapes urban contestation, under different conditions. (5/5)

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Emma Elfversson @emmaelfversson.bsky.social · Apr 24

Instead, we find that politically important cities (national or regional capitals) and cities where the war ended through rebel victory, are more likely to see high levels of postwar violence. We connect this to the way that contestation remains, but motives and opportunites shift, after war. (4/5)

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Emma Elfversson @emmaelfversson.bsky.social · Apr 24

In our analyses, we find that the level of violence in the city during war is a poor predictor of postwar urban violence. If anything, cities that saw high wartime violence experience lower levels of postwar violence compared to other cities. (3/5)

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Emma Elfversson @emmaelfversson.bsky.social · Apr 24

Using cross-case and micro-level data, we study how both levels and dynamics of violence change from war to postwar. We analyse a dataset covering postwar cities around the world, as well as novel micro-level data from five cities to study the dynamics of violence in more depth. (2/5)

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Emma Elfversson @emmaelfversson.bsky.social · Apr 24

Which cities become arenas for violent contestation after war? Me and @rokon-uddin.bsky.social study this question in a newly published article in @intlinteractions.bsky.social. A key takeaway: Postwar urban violence is not just a continuation of war. doi.org/10.1080/0305... (1/5)

Unpacking Urban (Dis)Continuities of Postwar Violence

Which cities become arenas for violent contestation after war? A growing literature has documented how conflict-related violence often continues after the formal end of armed conflict, and also tha...

doi.org

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Reposted by Emma Elfversson

Department of Government, Uppsala University @uu-polisci.bsky.social · Apr 15

We’re live! 🚀
Say hello to the official Bluesky account of Uppsala University's Department of Government 🏛️✨
Follow us for the latest on cutting-edge research, publications 📚, and upcoming events.

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Emma Elfversson @emmaelfversson.bsky.social · Feb 12

Agenda 2030 is being systematically deprioritized by the Swedish government, with harmful consequences both for global development and Swedish security. Debate article by me, Jesper Sundewall, Janet Vähämäki and Petra Tötterman Andorff, on behalf of SweDev and CONCORD Sweden (in Swedish).

Global Bar Magazine @globalbar.bsky.social · Feb 12

Debatt: Att överge Agenda 2030 underminerar Sveriges säkerhet

Att Sverige tappar fart i arbetet med global hållbar utveckling är särskilt olyckligt när USA är på total reträtt från den globala arenan, skriver representanter för forskarsverige och nätverket Concord.

Debatt: Att överge Agenda 2030 underminerar Sveriges säkerhet

DEBATT. Trots att vi bara har fem år kvar lever Agenda 2030 numera en undanskymd tillvaro. Att Sverige tappar fart i arbetet med global hållbar utveckling är särskilt olyckligt när USA är på total ret...

globalbar.se

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Emma Elfversson @emmaelfversson.bsky.social · Dec 14

No universal cure for the growing pains of African cities, me, @krishogl.bsky.social, Angela Muvumba Sellström & Camille Pellerin conclude in this recent NAI blog post. It summarizes research within our Urban dilemma project (funded by the discontinued VR Uforsk grant).

nai.uu.se/stories-and-...

No universal cure for the growing pains of African cities - The Nordic Africa Institute

Cities like Addis Ababa, Nairobi, and Kampala demonstrate how urbanisation can drive economic progress but also exacerbate communal violence and resource competition. Research on these cities reveals ...

nai.uu.se

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Reposted by Emma Elfversson

Sebastian van Baalen @sebastianvanbaalen.se · Nov 25

🎓 The call is out for my favorite academic conference: the Conflict Research Society Annual Conference 2025. If you like your conferences inviting, informal, theoretically and empirically diverse, and full of relevant practitioners, CRS is for you!

conflictresearchsociety.org/call-for-pap...

Call for papers 2025 - CRS

Call for papers 2025 CRS

conflictresearchsociety.org

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Reposted by Emma Elfversson

Sebastian van Baalen @sebastianvanbaalen.se · Nov 9

As people are leaving X and joining Bluesky instead, here is a starter pack of peace and conflict researchers for all new users ⤵️

go.bsky.app/7o8tZt2

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Emma Elfversson @emmaelfversson.bsky.social · Apr 16

About two-thirds of respondents (65%) say their work was either discontinued or significantly altered as a result of the funding cuts. Long-term projects, collaborative research with colleagues in other countries, and networks that have been built up over time are particularly impacted.

Emma Elfversson @emmaelfversson.bsky.social · Apr 16

67% say that their incentives to include researchers from the Global South were negatively affected and 38% reported that their research teams’ structure has changed because of the funding cuts.

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Emma Elfversson @emmaelfversson.bsky.social · Apr 16

Some key findings: 53% of the respondents in research/academia have adjusted their research in response to the funding cuts. 33% of respondents say they have changed their research topics, and 20% have shifted geographical research focus.

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Emma Elfversson @emmaelfversson.bsky.social · Apr 16

How have the cuts in funding affected development researchers? SweDev surveyed 200 researchers and practitioners, and responses indicate significant impacts in research foci and collaborations. Read the report here: swedev.dev/report-the-c... #polisky #conflictsky

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Reposted by Emma Elfversson

Uppsala Political Science Association @statsvetfo.bsky.social · Apr 8

Missa inte denna spännande föreläsning - idag 8 april kl 18.15!

Uppsala Political Science Association @statsvetfo.bsky.social · Mar 6

Välkomna på en öppen föreläsning! Klarar våra politiska institutioner av att genomföra en klimatomställning? Vad innebär en omställning för ekonomisk tillväxt, välfärd och vår syn på frihet?

Föreläsare: Staffan Laestadius
När: 8 April 18.15
Mer info 👇👇👇👇👇

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Emma Elfversson @emmaelfversson.bsky.social · Feb 15

While you're there, check out CHRIPS' other reports - in depth and insightful analyses of insecurity and human rights in Kenya: chrips.or.ke/category/pub...

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