Rethinking Urban Policies in the Global South: Challenges and Prospects

Urban policy in the Global South is at a critical juncture, shaped by rapid urbanisation, historical legacies, and emerging socio-economic and environmental challenges. Unlike the Global North, cities in Asia and Africa are experiencing complex urban transitions marked by megacity expansion, informal settlements, infrastructural deficits, demographic shifts, and climate vulnerabilities. This introductory chapter examines the demographic trends, regional variations in urban growth, and the multifaceted challenges, including urban primacy, poverty, informal housing, weak governance, and fiscal constraints. It argues for rethinking urban policy beyond top-down, technocratic approaches by emphasising decentralisation, community participation, financial innovation, and environmental resilience. The chapter highlights the need for a context-specific, inclusive, and adaptive policy framework to address the emerging challenges in the cities of the Global South. Through a critical overview of the book’s chapters, the introduction sets the stage for a nuanced understanding of urbanisation in the Global South and the need for grounded, transformative policy responses. The chapter provides a conceptual and empirical foundation for analysing how cities can pursue more equitable, sustainable, and locally attuned urban futures.