Project properties

Title Planning the commons: leisure, recreation and wellbeing in urban green spaces in Africa
Group Cultural Geography Group
Project type thesis
Credits 36 (MSc)
Supervisor(s) Emmanuel Adu-Ampong
Examiner(s) Prof. dr Edward Huijbens
Contact info GEO thesis contact person Chih-Chen Trista Lin: chihchentrista.lin@wur.nl
Begin date 2020/01/01
End date 2022/12/31
Description We are living in the urban century with estimates that more than 50% of the world’s population currently live in urban areas. While Sub Saharan Africa (SSA) is the least urbanised, it has the fastest rate of urbanisation. Intensive pressures on the urban natural environment has seen the proportion of urban green spaces like public parks, gardens, allotments, wetlands, and playing fields rapidly shrinking in many cities in SSA. Urban green spaces provide several benefits such as enhancing physical/psychological wellbeing and providing avenues for leisure and recreation activities. Considered as commons, they provide residents and visitors alike with the right to the city. How are cities dealing with these issues?

An MSc thesis project could focus on:
• Current provisions of urban green spaces in cities for leisure and recreation
• The view of different stakeholders (planners, policymakers, residents, visitors) about the value of urban green spaces
• Factors influencing the (lack of) provision of urban green spaces in cities for leisure and recreation
• Visitor experience and (dis)satisfaction with current leisure and recreation facilities in urban green spaces
This can be based on review of extensive published literature (on a selected country/city) and/or fieldwork in cities in Ghana, Rwanda, Uganda and Ethiopia

Used skills
Requirements