Policy Lab: Urban Violence in the Global South

(1 Credit Hour) · Undergraduate

In 2020, 45 of the 50 most violent cities in the world were located in the Global South—especially in Latin America and South Africa. The intensity of (lethal) criminal violence in some cities rivals the level of violence observed in many civil wars, leading to demands for "iron fist" policies and, unsurprisingly, to militarized security policies. In this policy lab, we will explore the characteristics of urban violence in the global south, critically appraise existing security policies and their results based on the best available evidence, and discuss other policy alternatives. Throughout the lab, we will also meet with practitioners who have shaped or implemented policies in cities of the Global South, community activists, and academics whose research has a more immediate policy relevance.