Join us for a research presentation by UChicago student Amara Nwuneli! Lunch is provided.
Title:
Colonial Footprints, Urban Futures: Tracing the Legacy of Colonization in Lagos’ Urban Development
Abstract:
This presentation explores how colonial systems of extraction, spatial segregation, and governance continue to shape contemporary urban development patterns in Lagos, Nigeria. Using Lagos as a case study, I examine the enduring “residues” of colonization embedded in infrastructure, land use, and urban planning decisions, and how these legacies contribute to present-day urban sprawl, inequality, and environmental vulnerability.
Drawing on policy analysis, historical context, and projections of future urban growth, the talk highlights the ways in which colonial-era frameworks still influence who has access to space, resources, and resilience in rapidly expanding cities. I also reflect on pathways toward more equitable and sustainable urban futures, centering community-led approaches and reimagining development beyond inherited systems.